Richarlison backs criticism of Roberto De Zerbi in another pointed social media post before Tottenham boss responds – as rift deepens amid star’s exile

Exiled Tottenham star Richarlison has shared a pointed social media post where he backed criticism of Roberto De Zerbi.  

Richarlison, 29, was set to depart north London this summer after appearing to fall out with the Spurs boss, who claimed the forward ‘said too many times he wants to leave’. 

A move never materialised, however, and the Brazilian has been kept out of the first-team squad since. 

His omission comes at a time where Spurs are struggling at the bottom of the Premier League after scoring just three goals in six games, and Richarlison shared a post on his Instagram story of quotes from former Everton striker Duncan Ferguson.

Speaking on The Overlap Daily about the Brazilian, Ferguson had said: ‘You don’t leave a player like that out unless there’s been a real murder: he’s chinned him or there’s been a proper scrap on the training ground.’

Sharing the quotes, Richarlison added: ‘Thanks Duncan Ferguson, you are right.’

Richarlison has been exiled from Tottenham’s squad after appearing to fall out with De Zerbi

Ferguson was a coach and two-time interim boss at Everton during Richarlison’s four-year spell at the club, yet De Zerbi was unmoved when pressed on the 29-year-old’s latest actions at his pre-match conference ahead of Monday’s game against Coventry. 

‘It’s not my problem anymore,’ he said. ‘You have to ask Vinai (Venkatesham, CEO) or Johan (Lange, technical director). It’s not my problem.

‘I know as a coach I have to support and take responsibility even when it’s not my responsibility.

‘I have not decided anything in this situation. If he wants to speak to me he can find me in my office until 8.30pm in the evening.

‘But I don’t want to speak any more because my focus is on the Coventry game.’

Richarlison’s latest post comes after he also took to social media within hours of Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat by Aston Villa last month to post videos of himself training in what was interpreted as a pointed move at the time. 

He captioned the video of him undertaking drills: ‘The focus remains’. His second post was another clip of him undergoing sprint training, accompanied by the caption: ‘35.4km/h – I broke my record’.

Meanwhile, Richarlison made his first appearance since his exile on Tuesday for Tottenham’s Under-21 side in the EFL Trophy against Cheltenham Town.

The Brazilian scored Spurs’ equaliser against the League Two outfit, and also notched in the subsequent penalty shoot-out as they lost 7-6 on spot kicks after a 2-2 draw in normal time in the group stage clash. 

‘Happy to do what I love most in life. I was missing it!’, Richarlison shared on social media following the match.

Richarlison made his on-pitch return for Spurs’ Under-21 side against Cheltenham on Tuesday

Richarlison, who will be without first-team football until January given he is not in Spurs’ Premier League squad and they have also been knocked out of the Carabao Cup, was praised post-match by Cheltenham manager Steve Cotterill.

Cotterill told reporters that he felt the Brazilian’s attitude was ‘absolutely first class’ when featuring against the League Two side. 

‘I thought his attitude tonight was immaculate,’ Cotterill said. ‘He could have easily come down here and thought I ain’t too bothered about tonight, he could have done that.

‘He’s used to playing in front of 60,000 every week, his attitude tonight was absolutely first class and it was great for our lads to play against someone of his stature.’