Tottenham's De Zerbi Says Richarlison, Danso and Sarr Want to Leave Club

LONDON —

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Roberto De Zerbi said forward Richarlison, defender Kevin Danso and midfielder Pape Matar Sarr have all told him they want to leave the club, ESPN reported. All three sat out Saturday's 2-0 home loss to Newcastle United, though Sarr was also dealing with a hamstring problem, according to ESPN.

Speaking after the match, De Zerbi said Danso came to him two days earlier to ask for a move, and that Sarr made the same request, ESPN reported. He said Richarlison had "said too many times" that he wanted out, according to ESPN and Yahoo Sports. "I love these players, and they are great guys," De Zerbi said, according to ESPN. "But if they want to leave, they have to bring the economic solution to the club, and they can go and we find other players."

ESPN reported that Juventus is considering signing Sarr, who joined Tottenham from FC Metz in 2021. Richarlison arrived from Everton in 2022, while Danso completed a permanent move from the French club Lens only last summer, according to ESPN. De Zerbi confirmed all three would be allowed to seek a new club before Tuesday's transfer deadline.

Spending Spree, Slow Start

The departures, if completed, would come during a summer in which Tottenham has spent heavily to rebuild the squad. ESPN put the total at around 380 million pounds ($514 million) on eight new players, while Sky Sports and Guardian Sport cited lower figures of 320 million pounds and 300 million pounds respectively. The signings have so far included Sandro Tonali, who cost an initial 92.5 million pounds, and Omar Marmoush and Savio, both bought from Manchester City, according to Guardian Sport.

Despite the outlay, Tottenham has lost its first two Premier League matches of the season without scoring, sitting at the bottom of the table, according to Sky Sports. It is the first time since 1974 the club has opened a season with two scoreless defeats, ESPN reported.

De Zerbi Calls For Patience

De Zerbi urged fans not to draw comparisons to Tottenham's last two campaigns, in which the club finished 17th, according to Sky Sports. "I can't change my opinion for two defeats," he said, according to ESPN. He said the bigger challenge is finding "the right mentality" among his players, telling reporters that quality cannot be bought in the transfer market, according to Sky Sports and Guardian Sport.

Sky Sports commentator Jamie Carragher said he expects Tottenham to make further signings before the deadline, saying the team's start "couldn't have gone any worse." Tottenham next plays Nottingham Forest on Saturday, September 5, according to Yahoo Sports.