Roberto de Zerbi says Tottenham “don’t know” whether forward Richarlison will stay at the club as he “sometimes” wants to leave.
The Brazil international, 29, scored a last-minute winner as 10-man Spurs beat Chelsea 2-1 in a high-profile friendly in Sydney.
After the match, De Zerbi was asked whether Richarlison – who has entered the final year of his contract – would leave this summer.
“I don’t know because I like him as a player and as a guy,” De Zerbi said at Accor Stadium. “He’s unbelievable in terms of attitude and behaviour. But, in the end, we have to respect what he wants to do.”
When pressed on whether Richarlison wants to leave, he added: “I don’t know. I didn’t understand well because sometimes he says he wants to stay, sometimes he wants to leave. We have to speak anyway. There is not any problem. He’s a lovely guy.”
The Italian coach was keen to point out Richarlison’s professionalism and impact in a chaotic campaign that saw Spurs battle relegation, scoring 12 goals.
“For me, he’s still an important player because it’s not easy to find another striker like Richarlison,” he said. “Richarlison scores goals. He knows the way. With any new striker, we don’t know.
“He scored 12 goals last season, not because of luck but because he knows how to score.
“All of us love him, the team-mates, the club and the staff because he works hard every day, seriously every day, and we can’t say anything about him on the pitch.”
The situation comes in the context of Spurs’ record-breaking £237m transfer window, which is set to continue with the pursuit of two more attackers.
One is understood to be Manchester City’s Savinho, while Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo has also been linked.
