There is no question that Tottenham Hotspur need to sign a top striker this summer transfer window. The fans have been saying it, club icons have been saying it, the journalists have been reporting it, and even the club itself has been implying it.
And in order to bring in someone new, Tottenham very likely have to take out someone old. Given Spurs had tried to sell Richarlison for two straight summer transfer windows but the Brazilian international chose to stay, his name came up first on the list of likely exits, even though he was Spurs leading Premier League goal scorer in 2025/26 with 11 goals while Dominic Solanke spent half the season injured and half the season playing very poorly (aside from one purple patch).
Tottenham did carry three strikers last season when including the disastrous Randal Kolo Muani loan, but with more depth in midfield, defense, and on the wings expected this year, there may only be two options in the 2026/27 Premier League season, though even that is far from settled.
Roberto De Zerbi seems to want Richarlison around
And after his performance against Chelsea in the preseason, Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi sounded awfully like he wants Richarlison to stay this summer, though he did imply that the Brazilian international is finally thinking of his future outside of N17.
De Zerbi told reporters of Richy's future, via Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport, "I don't know, because I like him as a player, as a guy, it's unbelievable the attitude and behaviour, but at the end we have to respect what he wants to do. And we know, every one of us knows what he wants to do, but for me he's still an important player, because it's not so easy to find another striker like Richarlison, because Richarlison scores goals and he knows the way. The new striker, we don't know. The other striker, we don't know. He scored 12 goals last season, not through luck, because he feels the way to score."
By calling him "important" and praising Richarlison for scoring goal and knowing how to score goals, Roberto De Zerbi is more than leaving the door open for Tottenham to keep RDZ. And when he refers to "the other striker" and not knowing who that is, it comes off as a shot at Dominic Solanke, though it is likely more of him not knowing who will be the other striker.
And even then, that strongly implies Richarlison is in De Zerbi's plans and that he is trying to convince both the player and the club for the former Everton man to stay. It looks like Tottenham fans should not be taking his exit as a likelihood right now.
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