Tottenham striker Richarlison has publicly expressed his displeasure after being left out of Roberto de Zerbi's squad for Tuesday's Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool. The Brazil international shared a screenshot of a social media post about his omission, adding the message "Why?" and a tearful sad-faced emoji.
This public display of unhappiness follows a period of uncertainty regarding Richarlison's future in north London. A proposed transfer to Brazilian side Vasco da Gama collapsed last week when personal terms could not be agreed before the Brazilian transfer window closed.
Manager Roberto de Zerbi addressed the situation in a pre-match news conference on Monday, stating, "At the start of this season, I spoke to him many times to convince him to stay and he didn't want to." De Zerbi also mentioned proposing a contract extension, which Richarlison reportedly declined.
Richarlison was also left out of Spurs' Premier League squad amid a dispute with the club over the remaining nine months of his contract. Sources indicate he is exploring options to be released from his current deal, which expires next summer, although Spurs have an option for a 12-month extension.
The striker was Tottenham's leading scorer last season with 12 goals across all competitions. His absence comes as Spurs seek their first Premier League win of the new season, having not scored in their opening four league matches.