Richarlison has teased a return to Everton with the club locked in talks with Tottenham Hotspur over a deal. The forward has already informed Roberto De Zerbi that he wants to leave Spurs after struggling for form and fitness throughout his time in North London.
Richarlison was Tottenham’s top goalscorer in the Premier League last season, but was left out of the squad for their 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday. De Zerbi revealed after the game that the reason for the Brazilian’s absence was that he informed the club he wants to leave.
Social media tease
Taking to social media on Sunday afternoon, Richarlison posted a picture of himself posing thinking alongside an image with a message written on a wall which, translated to English, read: “I am the villain of many. Poorly told stories.”
“Richarlison, I don’t know. He said too many times he wants to leave,” De Zerbi revealed on Saturday. “(Kevin) Danso came to me two days ago, and he said he wants to leave. Pape Sarr (said) the same, but he suffered a small injury. He is almost ready to train.”
Everton hero
The Brazilian joined Everton for £30m from Watford in 2018, before completing a £60m move to Spurs at the start of the 2022 summer transfer window. He made 152 appearances and scored 53 goals for the Blues, becoming a fans’ favourite during his time on Merseyside.
He was also instrumental in helping the club avoid relegation to the Sky Bet Championship during his final season at Goodison Park.
Grealish deal
The Blues are also believed to be working on a deal to bring Jack Grealish back to the club after he spent last season on loan at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Everton committed to an outlay of about £12m to cover the majority of Grealish’s wages when bringing him to the club last summer.
A £50m option to buy was included in the loan agreement by City, but that valuation was placed upon him for accounting purposes. Another loan deal now appears likely for Grealish, who is in the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium.
Grealish had appeared as a substitute in City's opening two games of the season but was left out of the squad for Friday’s 4-1 win over Crystal Palace. “I had the chat with Jack yesterday,” City boss Enzo Maresca said at Selhurst Park. “Again, we see what’s happening in the next 48, 72 hours and we’ll see.”
