Tottenham could now make a statement signing that really annoys Richarlison after what happened last season (opinion)

Tottenham Hotspur eye move for Harvey Elliott amid Richarlison tension and summer shake-up

 

Tottenham Hotspur have already made headlines with one of their standout signings this summer, and more could be on the way—though not without some potential awkward reunions from past Premier League clashes.

 

Earlier this summer, Spurs secured the signing of Mohammed Kudus, a deal that raised eyebrows not only because of his talent but also due to a fiery incident last season. Kudus was involved in an on-pitch altercation with Micky van de Ven during a heated London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium—a match Spurs won convincingly 4-1. Despite the tense moment, the two quickly patched things up after the Ghanaian’s arrival in North London. In fact, Tottenham leaned into the narrative by sharing a humorous social media video of the two players reuniting and laughing off the incident.

 

Now, Tottenham could be in line for another potentially tense reunion—this time between Richarlison and Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott. According to reports from TBR Football, the 21-year-old midfielder has emerged as a target for Spurs following their failure to land Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, who recently committed to a new deal at the City Ground.

 

Elliott, currently valued at around £50 million, is being seriously considered as a midfield addition as Tottenham continue reshaping their squad under Ange Postecoglou. But if a deal were to go through, all eyes would be on how Elliott would coexist with Richarlison.

 

A Heated History Between Richarlison and Elliott

 

The pair clashed during a fiery Premier League encounter at Anfield last season, where Liverpool thumped Spurs 5-1. During the match, tensions flared when Richarlison and Elliott got into a physical exchange, both players pushing and shoving before receiving yellow cards.

 

However, the altercation didn’t end there. After the final whistle, Elliott appeared to taunt the Brazilian by holding up three fingers—an action many fans interpreted as a dig at Everton, Richarlison’s former club, which hasn’t won a major trophy in three decades. The gesture was widely shared on social media and fueled speculation about bad blood between the two.

 

Richarlison, never one to back down from a verbal exchange, fired back in the comments section of a TikTok clip showing the incident. He took a swipe at Elliott’s goal tally, writing: “He wants to reach 30 goals in his career I think.” The jab was a reference to Elliott’s modest scoring record—22 goals across 192 senior appearances at club and international level.

 

Richarlison’s Future at Spurs Still Unclear

 

Ironically, the potential arrival of Harvey Elliott may never result in a reunion with Richarlison, as the Brazilian’s own future at Tottenham is far from secure.

 

Despite arriving with high expectations in 2022, the 27-year-old forward struggled for consistency last season, making just four starts in the Premier League across the entire 2024/25 campaign. His lack of impact has prompted speculation that Spurs could offload him this summer.

 

TBR Football also report that a return to Goodison Park could be on the cards, with Everton showing strong interest in bringing Richarlison back. David Moyes is reportedly a fan of the forward and sees him as a potential partner for new signing Thierno Barry in the Toffees’ front line. Meanwhile, Tottenham have already spent heavily this window, with deals for Mohammed Kudus and Mathys Tel costing the club around £85 million combined.

 

Whether Spurs will make a formal approach for Elliott remains to be seen, but if they do, the club may find themselves navigating yet another awkward reunion between players with recent bad blood. If Richarlison does stay, fans can expect fireworks—or, at the very least, another entertaining social media clip to smooth things over.