Fabrizio Romano says Tottenham’s big‑money signing will depart in January

In the shadow of the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, a lone silhouette of a player stands beside the Spurs badge as manager Roberto De Zerbi watches. On the same evening, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano warned that a big‑money Tottenham signing will depart in January, describing the relationship as ‘completely broken’.

Tottenham have poured huge sums into the squad this summer. The club paid substantial fees for Savio, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, each costing more individually than the record signing Dominic Solanke, whose deal included £65 million in add‑ons.

Only a few years ago, the north London side’s ceiling lay in the £50‑million to £65‑million range. Brazilian striker Richarlison was one of the few players to command a fee within that bracket. His transfer therefore matched the club’s previous upper limit.

Richarlison’s broken ties

Romano, speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, said the bond between Richarlison, the Spurs and Roberto De Zerbi is beyond repair. “It’s the reality that De Zerbi wasn’t lying when he said at the start of the season I went to Richarlison – let’s discuss a new contract,” he explained.

Romano detailed a series of failed moves. Richarlison reportedly wanted to return to Everton, a switch that was tied to a potential Iliman Ndiaye signing for Tottenham, but the deal collapsed. Subsequent offers from Turkey’s Trabzonspor and Brazil’s Vasco da Gama were also rejected by the club.

January departure expected

The transfer guru now expects Richarlison to leave in January. He added that Tottenham have no intention of keeping the Brazilian as part of their project, and that the winter window is the final opportunity to secure a fee before his contract expires at season’s end. Romano said the parties should part ways as soon as possible.

At 29 years old and with a dwindling contract, Richarlison is unlikely to fetch a sum close to the roughly £60 million Tottenham originally paid Everton. The club’s financial outlay on recent signings underscores the difficulty of recouping that amount.

Further coverage links the situation to other Premier League interest, noting that Man United have made the Brazilian a top target. The ongoing saga adds another chapter to TOTTENHAM’s turbulent transfer season.