Richarlison is considering legal action against Tottenham Hotspur in an attempt to terminate the remainder of his contract, TS Sports can report.
The 29-year-old Brazil international has been left in limbo after being excluded from Tottenham’s 25-man Premier League squad for the current season, a decision that has left him facing an uncertain future in north London.
Richarlison’s frustration had already become increasingly apparent in the final days of the English transfer window, when he posted a series of cryptic messages on Instagram regarding his future.
“After everything I’ve been through in the last few years, I’ve decided that never again will anyone decide my future for me,” he wrote. “I went through a lot of bad things, and almost all of them happened because decisions were made by other people. Pressure, threats, retaliation — none of that scares me. I’ve been through far worse, believe me.”
The message came amid growing uncertainty over whether the forward would remain at Spurs or find a new club before the transfer window closed.
Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi, who selected Richarlison for Tottenham’s opening game of the season at Brentford but has not picked him since, has maintained that the player was responsible for finding a solution to his situation.
“Richarlison decided everything alone,” De Zerbi said in his press conference last week. “He spoke with me at the beginning of pre-season and told me his desire was to leave. I want to keep just the players that want to stay and be proud, with the right passion to stay here.”
Richarlison’s Tottenham future reaches breaking point
Richarlison joined Tottenham from Everton in 2022 in a deal worth £60 million.
After failing to secure a permanent move during the transfer window, the Brazilian and his representatives are now exploring whether there is a legal route that could allow him to terminate his Spurs contract.
The situation has become particularly difficult because his exclusion from the Premier League squad limits his opportunities to play first-team league football for Tottenham.
Attempts for a new destination
Attempts to find Richarlison a new destination have so far failed.
The forward attracted interest from Turkish side Trabzonspor towards the end of the transfer window, with the club reportedly prepared to offer him three times his current pay at Spurs. However, the move did not materialise after Tottenham rejected bids for the Brazilian.
A return to former club Everton was also explored before the Premier League transfer window closed, but the two sides ultimately failed to agree terms.
With those options disappearing, Richarlison was left facing an increasingly complicated situation at Spurs.
The possible legal route
Richarlison’s representatives are now exploring whether FIFA regulations could provide a way out of his contract.
FIFA’s transfer regulations provide mechanisms through which a player can seek to terminate a contract for “just cause” in certain circumstances. The rules are designed to balance the contractual rights of players and clubs, while protecting players from situations in which their employment relationship becomes unreasonable.
FIFA has also introduced protections against clubs abusing the registration or de-registration of players as a means of exerting pressure. The precise application of those provisions to Richarlison’s situation, however, would have to be determined through the appropriate legal process rather than assumed automatically.
The current FIFA transfer framework is also undergoing significant reform, with the new Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players due to enter into force on January 1, 2027. FIFA says the revised framework is intended to create a more balanced and proportionate system while protecting the interests of both players and clubs.
Richarlison’s representatives are therefore understood to be examining whether his exclusion from Tottenham’s Premier League squad, combined with the circumstances surrounding his failed transfer attempts, could support a claim.
Vasco waiting in the background
One potential beneficiary of any successful resolution could be Vasco da Gama.
The Brazilian club, which has a long-standing connection with Richarlison, has shown interest in bringing the forward back to Brazil. Current reports indicate that Vasco remain hopeful of completing a deal, although the short timeframe surrounding the Brazilian transfer window makes the situation particularly complicated.
If Richarlison were eventually released from his Tottenham contract through the appropriate legal process, he could potentially become a free agent and negotiate directly with another club without Tottenham receiving a transfer fee.
For Vasco, that could dramatically change the economics of a deal that would otherwise be difficult to finance.
For Richarlison, however, the immediate issue is more personal than financial. After years of uncertainty surrounding his place at Tottenham, he now appears determined to regain control over the next stage of his career.
His Instagram message suggested as much.
“After everything I’ve been through in the last few years, I’ve decided that never again will anyone decide my future for me.”
Now, with a potential legal battle looming, Richarlison may be prepared to take that statement a step further.
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