Tottenham Hotspur were so close to completing a deal for attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, but, ultimately, Crystal Palace and the England international decided to break Spurs hearts and go with Arsenal, who presented a sweeter offer to the Eagles than Daniel Levy did.
As Spurs scramble for an actual replacement for the injured duo of James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski so the No. 10 position is occupied by a valid playmaker in the 2025/26 season, they are also still mulling over other transfers like a new winger or defender - or even a few sales.
The most high-profile players linked with moves away from Tottenham are center midfielder Yves Bissouma and striker Richarlison, and while Bissouma remains someone Spurs want to let go of, the Brazilian international has totally changed his fortunes.
According to a new report from Eduardo Burgos of Diario AS, Richarlison will not be leaving this summer. Thomas Frank did not entertain the idea of offering up the veteran forward as a makeweight in the deal with Crystal Palace for Eberechi Eze. He believes in Richarlson as a part of the squad for the 2025/26 season, with Burgos going so far as to say that Frank views him as "crucial".
Tottenham can't make superfluous transfers
That can be evident through the first two games of the season against PSG and Burnley, too. Richarlison was active and even brilliant against Paris, constantly causing danger with his movement and willingness to get into the box and into scoring positions.
His effort paid off in the Premier League opener, with the 28-year-old grabbing two goals in the 3-0 win, getting himself five shots in total while completing two dribbles. He even worked on the defensive end, too, snagging a cool three clearances.
The transfer rumors surrounding Richarlison have come to a dead stop, and that's because Frank continues to cement his belief in the player. With his acrobatics, raw talent, and Premier League experience, Richarlison is much better than anyone Spurs could realistically sign at striker at this point, and Richarlison is also more valuable to Spurs than what he'd gain in transfer capital elsewhere.
Plus, Tottenham can't just sell Richarlison and sign a more expensive striker in a lateral move. They need to pinch every penny of Daniel Levy and ENIC's they can in order to sign two attacking midfielders, a winger, and potentially a depth signing to bolster the forgotten needs in the squad at other positions.