Why Tottenham Prefer to 'Freeze Out' Richarlison Rather Than Sell Cheap? The Expensive Valuation Puzzle at the Last Minute

I have followed countless transfer negotiations throughout my more than three decades in the profession, from deals completed at the last minute in Moscow to tense negotiations in Barcelona. But there is one rule that never changes: when a player is pushed out of the first team, his value is no longer measured by talent, but by the desperation of all parties involved.

Richarlison is in the middle of that storm. He was left out of Tottenham's Premier League squad by head coach Roberto De Zerbi, exiled to train with the under-21s, and now must await his fate from negotiations with Trabzonspor before the deadline of 23:59 on September 4 local time.

The story begins with a phone call. According to ESPN Brazil, Mohamed Salah and Fabinho - who played alongside Richarlison at the 2026 World Cup - directly called to advise him to move to Turkey. This is a rare signal: Premier League players actively lobbying for a colleague to move to a less attractive league. It shows the urgency of the situation.

Trabzonspor have made an offer of around €20 million (equivalent to £17 million). Tottenham rejected it. Their asking price is £35 million. The gap between these two figures is around £18 million - a difference of more than 100% compared to the Turkish club's offer.

The core of the problem is not the numbers, but the fact that Tottenham is facing a classic problem of asset depreciation.

I witnessed a similar situation at La Masia in 2026, when a 17-year-old boy was pushed up to the B team and his value decreased day by day without playing. When a player no longer plays, no longer trains with the first team, and publicly expresses his desire to leave, his market value no longer truly reflects his actual ability. It reflects his own desperation and that of the club.

Tottenham is taking a firm stance. They believe £35 million is a fair price for a former Brazil international who scored at the World Cup. But the market does not operate on that logic. A 'frozen out' player is no longer a profitable asset. He becomes a liability - both financially and mentally.

Trabzonspor, with the limited budget of a Turkish club, is unlikely to meet the £35 million asking price. This gap shows that the two sides are viewing Richarlison's value in two completely different ways. Tottenham looks at the past - the money they invested, the player's reputation. Trabzonspor looks at the present - a player who is not playing, no longer in form, and desperate to leave.

The truth Tottenham may not want to face: the £35 million asking price may be an unrealistic negotiating anchor, and keeping a disgruntled player will cost them more than accepting a loss.

I remember the match between Japan and Belgium at the 2026 World Cup in Moscow. When Japan led 2-0 and then lost 2-3, I watched the players collapse on the pitch. Their coach picked up a piece of tactical paper on the field. I used to believe data was everything, but there, the rhythm of the match and emotions broke all statistical predictions. Similarly, in transfers, there are factors that cannot be measured by numbers - and player discontent is one of them.

The involvement of Salah and Fabinho adds to the public pressure. When world-class players speak up for a colleague, the story becomes bigger than a mere transfer. It becomes a story about how a club treats its players. And in the age of social media, that can damage Tottenham's reputation more than losing a player.

De Zerbi has made a decisive decision: Richarlison is not in his plans. Pushing the player to train with the U21s is not just a punishment, but also a message to the entire dressing room - no one can stand above the coach's authority. In Moscow, I learned that a match can end, but its echoes do not. Likewise, De Zerbi's decision will echo in the Tottenham dressing room throughout the season.

If the Trabzonspor deal collapses, Richarlison will face a grim prospect: either finding another destination like Saudi Arabia, where wages are high but competition is low, or enduring months without playing until the January transfer window. For a 27-year-old player at the peak of his career, being frozen out for an extended period could seriously damage his career.

Trabzonspor, with a later transfer deadline than most European leagues, holds a unique advantage. They can wait and hunt for players who missed the deadlines of major leagues. This shows that Turkish clubs are becoming increasingly ambitious in their recruitment strategies.

But there is a bigger question: is Tottenham overestimating Richarlison's value in the January market? With the player continuing to be frozen out and publicly expressing discontent, his value will only decrease further. In January, clubs will know Tottenham is desperate to sell, and they will make even lower offers.

I have witnessed many clubs fall into this trap. They believe holding their ground will yield better results. But in football, patience is not always rewarded. Sometimes, accepting a small loss now is better than suffering a larger loss in the future.

A hundred days without spectators during the pandemic taught me that: on the pitch, space is the most expensive thing. In transfers, flexibility is equally valuable. Tottenham is facing a choice: hold their ground and risk asset depreciation, or be more flexible in negotiations to reach a deal that benefits all parties.

The September 4 deadline is approaching. Every passing hour, Richarlison's value decreases a little more. And the biggest question is not whether he will leave Tottenham, but whether Tottenham is wise enough to realize that sometimes, selling a player for less than expected is the smartest business decision.

I do not seek moments, I wait for moments to stand up on their own. And that moment, for Richarlison, may come before 23:59 on September 4 - or it may never come.