Roberto De Zerbi did not soften the line at Monday’s press conference. Asked whether Richarlison could play in the League Cup tie at Anfield, the Tottenham head coach was blunt.

“Richarlison will NOT play even if he’s available. Not even in the Carabao Cup, no,” he told reporters.

Richarlison had already been left out of Spurs’ 25-man Premier League squad on 3 September, ruling him out of every league match until at least the January window. Domestic cups were the one route back on to the pitch. De Zerbi has now closed it.

Within hours the 29-year-old replied on Instagram with one word: “Why? 😓”.

Read also: Cristiano Ronaldo's Homelander comparisons resurface with a new look

Pressed on his reasoning, De Zerbi pointed to a defeat from last season.

“We lost to Brentford 3-0 with Richarlison. Maybe you forgot. Just to remind you,” he said.

The exit that never happened

Multiple summer moves collapsed. Trabzonspor lodged two bids for the Brazilian, reportedly worth £15m and then £20m, both rejected, before the Super Lig window closed. An Everton return broke down over personal terms. A move to Vasco da Gama, targeted at the Brazilian window that shut on 11 September, also failed.

De Zerbi says he ran out of things to try.

Read also: Ibrahimovic is back in AC Milan

“At the start of this season I spoke with him many times to convince him to stay, and he didn’t want to. I can’t go every day to pray for him to stay,” he told reporters.

“It’s not my behaviour; it is the relationship, and the problem is between the player and the club,” De Zerbi added.

Article 14 and the contract clock

Richarlison’s camp is not sitting still. His representatives have filed a complaint under Article 14 of FIFA’s transfer regulations, arguing that omission from the 25-man squad and separation from De Zerbi’s senior group amounts to “abusive conduct” and should trigger a release from his contract. Tottenham dispute the framing and point to Richarlison’s refusal to complete the Everton move as evidence he chose his own exit.

The contract itself matters more with every week of exile. His current deal runs to June 2027, and Tottenham hold a one-year option to extend it to June 2028, according to Football.London’s Alasdair Gold. Unless that option is triggered or a January deal is agreed, Richarlison would be free to leave for nothing in the summer of 2027.

Read also: Djokovic exits the ATP top 10 as Zverev closes in on Sinner after US Open triumph

A top scorer, sidelined

Last season, Richarlison scored 12 Premier League goals and finished as Tottenham’s top scorer. Under De Zerbi, whose side failed to score in their opening four Premier League fixtures, he has been training away from the senior group for weeks.

The head coach has Dominic Solanke, Omar Marmoush, Mathys Tel, Mohammed Kudus and Sávio to choose from up front. By his own words, he will name none of them alongside Richarlison at any point this season. The Carabao Cup tie at Anfield is on Wednesday night; Richarlison will not be on the teamsheet, and De Zerbi has now committed publicly to keeping him off every teamsheet until the summer.

Read also: Not acceptable: The FIA president trying to bend F1's rulebook for one driver