Richarlison Axed by De Zerbi at Tottenham: £35m Valuation, Turkish Window, and a Shocking Statement

"After everything I've been through in the last few years, I've decided that never again will anyone decide my future for me." – This Instagram post from Richarlison is not just the statement of a frustrated player. It is the starting gun for a battle that Tottenham and Roberto De Zerbi have just declared victory in – but I'm not sure they've calculated the full cost. When I was a reporter in Manchester, I witnessed plenty of these "player isolation" cases. They rarely end well for either side. But this time, one detail stopped me: the Turkish transfer window remains open until Friday. That is a window – and also a blade. According to Goal.com (AFP), De Zerbi has completely axed Richarlison from the Tottenham squad for the current Premier League campaign. The Italian coach confirmed on Saturday that the Brazilian forward had asked "too many times" to leave. Tottenham have set a valuation of £35 million, but have yet to receive an acceptable offer. Richarlison has one year remaining on his contract plus a 12-month option. Earlier, a return to Everton collapsed after Richarlison rejected the personal terms offered by his former club. Trabzonspor – the Turkish side – remain keen and are considered the primary option. There, he could reunite with Mohamed Salah and Fabinho. But Trabzonspor need to submit an improved offer before the Turkish window closes on Friday. Richarlison joined Tottenham from Everton in the summer of 2026 for £60 million. He was expected to replace Harry Kane as the number 9. But over two seasons, he scored just 15 Premier League goals – a modest return given expectations. Last season, he managed 11 goals across all competitions, but still faced criticism for inconsistency. De Zerbi, who replaced Ange Postecoglou this summer, quickly made his decision: Richarlison is not part of the plan. Tottenham fans are divided on this decision. Some believe De Zerbi is right to remove a player who has lost motivation; others worry that losing an experienced striker will leave the squad short in a demanding season. On social media, the hashtag #FreeRicharlison has emerged, showing some support for the Brazilian. Look at the £35 million figure. For a player with one year left on his contract (plus a 12-month option), this is not a cheap price. The current transfer market is seeing a decline in value for players aged 27-28 who are no longer part of long-term plans. Richarlison, 27, scored 15 goals last season but never truly won De Zerbi's trust. The truth is: Tottenham paid £60 million to bring him from Everton in 2026, and now they are accepting a loss of nearly half. But what concerns me more is how De Zerbi handled this situation. Publicly stating that the player asked to leave "too many times" – that is a heavy blow to Richarlison's image. It shows the coach's patience has run out. And completely removing him from the squad, rather than simply benching him, sends a clear message: he is no longer part of this plan. I wrote about Kyle Walker in 2026, when I thought Man City were wrong to pay £50 million for a full-back. I was wrong. Three years later, full-back prices soared and Walker became an essential part of Pep Guardiola's title-winning machine. People laughed at me over Walker. Three years later, they were crying at full-back prices. The lesson I learned: never underestimate a player's value in the right system. But Richarlison's case is different. He does not fit De Zerbi's philosophy – one based on high-intensity pressing and quick ball circulation. Richarlison is the type of striker who needs space, who needs freedom to move. In De Zerbi's system, he became a misfit piece. And when a piece doesn't fit, it gets removed – no matter how big the name. Tottenham are now focusing on new attacking options, including Omar Marmoush – the Egyptian forward impressing at Eintracht Frankfurt. Removing Richarlison frees up wages and creates room for new signings. But it also creates a gap in squad depth. If Tottenham cannot sell Richarlison before Friday, they will have to keep a disgruntled player in the squad – a situation no one wants. The Tottenham dressing room is tense. Seeing a player like Richarlison – once considered a cornerstone – completely isolated sets a dangerous precedent. Other players will look and wonder: if I'm unhappy, will I be treated the same way? De Zerbi is sending a strong message about managerial authority, but it could backfire if results don't follow. In modern football, isolating a player is never a good solution. Look at Dele Alli at Everton, or Gareth Bale in his final years at Real Madrid – they were pushed to the margins and their careers declined rapidly. Richarlison is still in the prime of his career, but without regular football, he will lose rhythm and confidence. That directly affects his chances of being called up to the Brazil national team – where he was once a first-choice option. I could be wrong. Maybe De Zerbi is right to decisively remove a player who doesn't want to stay. Keeping a disgruntled person in the dressing room is poison. But I see a bigger problem: Richarlison's public statement – "no one can decide my future anymore" – could make other clubs wary. Which player dares to publicly challenge the board like that? It shows mental instability, and in modern football, that reduces transfer value. Trabzonspor could be the ideal destination – reuniting with Salah and Fabinho, playing regularly, and facing much lower pressure than the Premier League. But if they don't improve their offer before Friday, Richarlison will be stuck at Tottenham until January. Six months without top-level football. Six months training with the youth team. Six months watching teammates play while being excluded. That destroys any player's career. Iran didn't lose because of their defense. They lost because of the fear I saw before the match. It's the same here – Richarlison isn't losing because of a lack of talent. He's losing because of the fear of being forgotten, the fear of losing his place in the national team, the fear of being pushed to the margins of elite football. I also see a blind spot in Tottenham's approach. They publicly set a £35 million valuation, but have no offers. That shows they overestimated Richarlison's value in the current market. Clubs know Tottenham need to sell, and they will wait until the last minute to drive the price down. This is a psychological game Tottenham are losing. I don't rule out Richarlison finding a way to save himself. He could accept a pay cut to join another club, or even accept a move to the Saudi Pro League – where clubs are willing to pay huge wages. But that would take him away from top European football, and could cost him his place in the national team. That's a difficult decision. I will follow developments closely until Friday. If Trabzonspor submit an offer above £35 million, the deal will happen. If not, Richarlison will become a "forgotten player" – and I bet by January, his value will drop below £25 million. The question is: will a player once expected to be Tottenham's future accept sitting out until January? Or will he find another way to rescue himself? At 43, I still speak hot, but the fire has learned to wait. And I'm waiting to see who blinks first.