Richarlison to Trabzonspor: January transfer rumour analysed

Quick verdict: Trabzonspor are reported to be preparing a fresh approach for Tottenham forward Richarlison in the January window. The claim comes from ESPN’s Bruno Andrade, relayed by Fotomaç on the morning of 7 November 2026. Status: RUMOUR. Neither club has said anything. Richarlison is 29, Brazilian, and according to the report his contract expires at the end of the season. The same report says his wage demands are too high for Everton and Fulham but within Trabzonspor’s reach.

Data note: figures come from FotMob, Tottenham’s official site, The National and Fotomaç. Where sources conflict we say so. The image is an original illustration, not a photograph.

The story so far

This is a second chapter. In early September, English and international outlets reported that Richarlison wanted out of Tottenham and that Trabzonspor had made two bids. The National put them at £15m and £20m, both rejected (reported, not confirmed by either club). Reports attributed to Fabrizio Romano added that he had agreed personal terms on a salary roughly three times his Spurs wage (reported, no figure disclosed).

The deal did not close before the Turkish window shut. Roberto De Zerbi’s line, “I don’t know. He said too many times he wants to leave”, and the forward’s omission from Spurs’ 25-man Premier League list showed how far the relationship had slipped. Reports also said a loan to Vasco da Gama had been agreed by the player but blocked by Tottenham. Nothing in the sources we checked shows him leaving England since.

Against that background, the 7 November report is a statement of intent from one journalist, not a transfer in motion. It contains no fee or wage figure, only the suggestion that Tottenham would be offered a low fee.

Scout profile

Richarlison has played for Watford, Everton and Tottenham. Spurs’ own site noted in March 2026 that he had passed 100 Premier League goal involvements. In 2025-26 FotMob credits him with 11 league goals and 4 assists in 32 matches (1,957 minutes): useful output, but from a player who was rotated heavily. Sources for 2026-27 disagree (one aggregator shows a single 68-minute appearance, another has copied career totals into the season row), so we give no current-season numbers.

Stylistically he is not a back-to-goal 9 who holds the ball up. He earns his value through aerial duels, second balls, runs behind the line and pressing intensity, and he can start wide and drift in. The trade-offs are an uneven finishing record from one season to the next and limited link-up play over longer spells. In GegenSports terms: high work rate, medium-to-high finishing, limited build-up involvement. We covered the same player from a Galatasaray angle in Richarlison to Galatasaray: a Gegen Fit analysis; the profile section overlaps, the tactical fit does not.

Does he fit Trabzonspor?

According to Fotomaç, the striker department has not started as hoped: Paul Onuachu has been ineffective, while new signing Franculino Dju has made a good start. Our own coverage of the squad is in the Dju and Aral Şimşir injury report and the Onuachu derby note (both in Turkish).

Two roles are plausible. As the sole centre-forward he would keep Onuachu’s aerial presence but add mobility. In a two-striker shape alongside Dju he could attack the box while Dju stretches the line. He is not a creator, so the midfield still needs to supply the ball; see our reads on Philip Billing and Nasser Djiga.

Tactical contribution

Three things stand out: pressing triggers on the opposition centre-backs, second-post and set-piece aerial presence, and direct running in transition. The limit is link play. If nobody in midfield plays between the lines, the attack can narrow and become predictable. This is a scouting judgement, not a measured result.

Money

• September bids: £15m and £20m, rejected (reported, The National).
• Wages: roughly three times current pay (reported, no number); Fotomaç/ESPN say the demand is too high for Everton and Fulham (rumour).
• January fee: not disclosed; the report says only “low”.
• Contract: ends at season’s end per Fotomaç. We could not confirm the date independently.

As a general rule, players in the last six months of a contract may talk to foreign clubs about a pre-contract. That weakens Tottenham’s hand in January, but it does not mean the move will happen.

Comparable deals

The closest template is the sidelined, Premier League-experienced forward on high wages and a modest fee: experience bought for a short window of output. The risk is motivation and fitness. September’s breakdown makes the motivation question more visible, though his willingness to move to Türkiye offsets it a little. Any real comparison needs an actual January offer on the table.

FAQ

Has Richarlison joined Trabzonspor?

No. There is only a report that talks will resume in the winter window.

When could it happen?

When the Süper Lig January window opens; dates are set by the TFF.

How much would it cost?

Undisclosed. Bids of £15m and £20m were reportedly rejected in September.

When does his contract end?

At the end of the season, according to Fotomaç. Unverified elsewhere.

Sources

• Fotomaç, 7 November 2026, citing ESPN’s Bruno Andrade
• The National, 3-4 September 2026
• Football365, Livescore/TEAMtalk, Sports Mole (September coverage)
• FotMob player page (2025-26 league stats)
• Tottenham Hotspur official site (March 2026)

Not betting or investment advice. Rumour-labelled items are unconfirmed by the clubs; we will update this piece if anything changes.