Richarlison Set for Tottenham Exit as Saudi Pro League Leads the Queue

Tottenham have omitted the Brazilian from their 2026-27 Premier League squad, with the Athletic, ESPN and Sky Sports all reporting a Saudi move as the most likely outcome.

Tottenham have left Richarlison out of their 2026-27 Premier League squad, with the Athletic, ESPN and Sky Sports all reporting the decision this week. The omission all but ends the Brazilian's four-year spell in North London and points to a summer departure before the window closes.

Sky Sports' Paper Talk column identified the Saudi Pro League as the most likely destination, and the framing was echoed in subsequent coverage. The Athletic's write-up described the squad omission as the clearest indication yet that the forward is not in Tottenham's plans for the new campaign. Other European clubs are also monitoring, but Saudi appears to be the frontrunner.

Richarlison joined Tottenham from Everton in 2022 for a fee reported at around £60m. He arrived with a strong record at Watford and Everton, where his goals had helped keep the Toffees in the Premier League and earned him a senior Brazil place. The move was meant to provide Spurs with a focal point in attack and a long-term heir to the central striking role.

It has not worked out that way. Across his four seasons in North London, form has been inconsistent and fitness a recurring problem, and he has not held down a starting place for any sustained run. Injuries and competition for places have both played their part. The Brazilian has shown flashes of the form that made him one of the division's most talked-about young strikers, but the spells have not lasted long enough to change the picture.

The 2026 summer window was an active one for Tottenham in attacking areas. New forward options arrived at the club, leaving Richarlison further down the pecking order. The decision not to include him on the 25-man Premier League list leaves little room for ambiguity: the club are moving on, and the focus is on getting the player off the wage bill.

For the Saudi Pro League, a Richarlison move would fit a familiar pattern. The division has been the dominant buyer of Premier League attacking talent over the past three transfer windows, with clubs in the Gulf prepared to offer wages that European sides cannot match. The Saudi window remains open and Brazilian internationals in particular have featured heavily in the league's recruitment drive. A move would also offer Richarlison a regular starting spot that has been hard to come by in North London. The recruitment drive of the past three years has reshaped the market for Premier League strikers in their late twenties, and Richarlison fits the profile of player the Saudi clubs have been willing to pay a premium for.

For Tottenham, the immediate priority is the financial side. The original £60m outlay will not be recouped in full. The squad registration list is the cleanest break available: Richarlison is no longer part of the 25-man group, and the next step is a buyer willing to meet a price that works for both sides. The timing of the squad registration makes a quick resolution more likely, with the season already underway and neither side benefiting from a drawn-out negotiation. Spurs will also want clarity on the structure of any deal — fee, payment terms and any sell-on clause — before sanctioning a move.