Tottenham outcast Richarlison has admitted he is happy to be back playing after scoring for Spurs' Under-21s in their EFL Trophy defeat to Cheltenham Town on Tuesday evening.
Richarlison has been banished from Spurs' first team and told he does not have a future at the club after expressing his desire to leave over the summer. The 29-year-old has not played for Roberto De Zerbi's side since starting Tottenham's 3-0 defeat to Brentford on the opening weekend of the season.
Frozen out at Spurs
Richarlison was Spurs' top goalscorer last season but has now been frozen out, with the club unable to facilitate a transfer for the former Everton hitman in the final days of the summer transfer window. Excluded from Spurs' Premier League squad, Richarlison did not travel with the first team to Marbella for a warm-weather training camp this week.
Instead, he made himself available for selection for the U21s, starting and scoring for Wayne Burnett's side as they were held to a 2-2 draw against Cheltenham before losing 7-6 on penalties.
Impressive on return
Richarlison netted the equalising goal with an instinctive finish from James Rowswell's right-wing cross and celebrated in the corner with the rest of the squad. Despite primarily using the game to build fitness and match sharpness ahead of the January window reopening, Richarlison impressed with his effort and application, stopping to pose for photos after the full-time whistle.
It was clear Richarlison enjoyed being back on the pitch for the first time in nearly two months, and he took to social media to express how much he had missed playing. "Happy to do what I love most in life. I was missing it," he said in a post on Instagram.
Praise from opposition boss
On a positive night for Richarlison, Cheltenham manager Steve Cotterill praised the striker's attitude and said it was a pleasant surprise to see his name on the teamsheet before kick-off. "No, we weren't expecting it, but it was good," Cotterill said. "When I found out he was on the teamsheet, I was actually chuffed with that. I was really pleased. It gives our lads a glimpse of what it's like at that top level. That was great tonight for us."
