Frank ‘to look toward Leeds’ amid Richarlison exit speculation at Tottenham
Thomas Frank has to make a decision soon regarding Richarlison’s future at Tottenham.
Richarlison was once again unavailable for Spurs for their 2-0 victory against Reading (19 July), with Frank admitting that the Brazilian was not yet fully fit to play.
This will come as no surprise to Tottenham supporters, who have seen Richarlison constantly struggle with injuries since he arrived from Everton just over three years ago.
The striker has generally performed well in the last two seasons for Spurs, but has been limited to just 22 Premier League starts in that time, leaving his manager with a difficult choice to make.
Richarlison wants to stay at Spurs this summer
Tottenham are looking to Palmeiras to sign Richarlison as they hope to recoup some of the £60million they spent on the 28-year-old.
However, as was the case last year when Spurs received an offer from Saudi Arabia, Richarlison wishes to stay at Hotspur Way, as reported by The Guardian (July 19).
The former Everton man has two years left on his contract and is keen to fight for his place in North London unless an extraordinary offer is made that could tempt him away.
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Tottenham | 90 | 20 | 10 |
He remains a popular player in the dressing room, but his wages and reluctance to leave could irk Spurs and fans in North London, whose patience with the former Everton man is wearing thin.
Tottenham have a history of struggling to offload expensive signings who didn’t work out, notably Tanguy Ndombele and Giovanni Lo Celso in recent years.
Frank is new to the club and may approach things differently by looking towards Leeds, where Daniel Farke publicly stated that he would not allow his striker, Patrick Bamford, to train with the first team should he remain at Elland Road.
The former England international has had similarly long spells of injuries, and despite being heralded by his manager, is no longer part of his plans after proving to be too unreliable.
Frank should take a leaf out of Farke’s book and offer Richarlison an ultimatum, rather than allow him to block further business this window.
Richarlison’s departure will depend on landing a replacement
Frank may not be able to rely on Richarlison to stay healthy, but it will still be wise to keep him as a backup to Solanke if he can not sign a replacement.
Things aren’t looking too promising in that department for Tottenham after a move for Yoane Wissa was effectively ruled out following Bryan Mbeumo’s imminent transfer to Manchester United.
Frank could spin his magic and convert a young forward like Mathys Tel into a striker.
However, while that may work, it would be foolish to let Richarlison leave, as it would pile on too much pressure on Solanke and the squad as a whole, and they may have to hope he can prove his fitness.
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