Richarlison scored deep into stoppage time to give Tottenham a 2-1 win over Chelsea in a heated pre-season friendly in Sydney, but the celebrations barely lasted before his manager was fielding questions about whether the forward even wants to stay at the club.
Roberto De Zerbi, whose side finished the game with ten men after Kevin Danso's red card, made no attempt to paper over the uncertainty when asked about Richarlison's contract, which runs only until the end of the 2026-27 season. "I don't know if he will stay because I love him very much... but in the end you have to respect what he wants to do," the Italian said, according to ONE.
De Zerbi went further, describing conversations with the Brazilian as genuinely mixed. "Sometimes he says he wants to stay and sometimes he wants to leave. We'll need to talk about it anyway," he said, adding that he "didn't understand well" which way Richarlison was leaning.
It is a curious backdrop for a player who had just delivered the winning moment. Tonali had put Spurs ahead in the 19th minute with a deflected effort before Chelsea's Estevao levelled almost immediately, and Danso's dismissal three minutes into the second half left Tottenham to see out an hour a man light in front of 80,363 fans at Stadium Australia. Richarlison settled it with virtually the last kick of the game, pouncing on a loose ball after Jamie Donley's shot cannoned back off the post.
It was the fourth win in four pre-season matches for De Zerbi's side, and the manager was quick to stress he has no interest in pushing Richarlison out the door. "He's an important player, you can't easily find another striker like him," he said, praising the 29-year-old's professionalism and work ethic even amid the uncertainty over his long-term plans.
Richarlison joined Tottenham from Everton in the summer of 2022 in a deal reported at around £60 million with add-ons, and has become a fixture of the club's forward line through some difficult seasons, including last term's run to Premier League safety. He posted a career-best 43 appearances for Spurs in 2025-26, finishing among the club's top scorers in the league.
ONE reports that Tottenham have committed well over £200 million to summer recruitment, a spending spree the outlet frames as evidence the club is already lining up cover in case Richarlison does push for an exit before his contract runs out next summer.
For now, nothing is resolved. De Zerbi's comments suggest no formal transfer request has been lodged and no renewal talks have taken place, leaving Richarlison's next move as one of the more intriguing subplots of Tottenham's pre-season as the Premier League opener approaches.
