Roberto De Zerbi has finally broken his silence on the dramatic fallout with Richarlison, revealing that the Brazilian forward initiated his desire to leave Tottenham early in the summer.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, De Zerbi clarified that Richarlison himself decided his future. "He spoke with me at the beginning of the pre-season and told me his idea and desire was to leave," De Zerbi stated, as reported by Football London. "I want to keep the players, just the players that want to stay and be proud and with the right passion to stay here."
De Zerbi emphasized that club negotiations are beyond his role. "For everything and other problems, it is not my business and not my job. It is the responsibility of the club," he added. "The message of Richarlison from the beginning of the season has been very clear. I accepted that and for me nothing."
His comments come after Richarlison posted a fiery statement on Instagram, declaring he would "NEVER AGAIN" let others decide his future after experiencing "pressure, threats, retaliation." He urged Tottenham to respect his position, stating he had always prioritized the club's well-being in any potential move and hoped for similar respect in return.
Despite speculation linking Richarlison with a move to Turkish side Trabzonspor, the Turkish transfer window has now closed, meaning the forward is set to remain at Spurs for now. De Zerbi acknowledged prior interest from Turkey before the English transfer window closed but stated it made no difference to him.
