Richarlison scored a last-minute winner for 10-man Tottenham against Chelsea in Sydney — then watched his manager publicly admit he does not know whether the Brazilian wants to stay.

Spurs beat Chelsea 2-1 in a high-profile friendly at Accor Stadium, with Richarlison, a 29-year-old Brazil international, grabbing the decisive goal after his side had been reduced to ten men. It was the kind of moment that reminds you what he can do: sharp instinct, late arrival, no panic. The crowd in Sydney got their money's worth.

After the match, head coach Roberto De Zerbi was straight about the player's future. He said Tottenham "don't know" whether Richarlison will remain at the club, because the forward "sometimes" wants to leave BBC Sport. The admission carries real weight: Richarlison has entered the final year of his Tottenham contract, meaning he could leave for nothing next summer if no new deal is signed.

De Zerbi also pointed out that Richarlison scored 12 goals for Tottenham last season BBC Sport. That is a useful return, not a spectacular one, but enough to attract interest and enough to make the uncertainty sting a little.

The Italian has drawn a clear line for anyone wavering. Any Tottenham player who is not "happy or proud" to be at the club "has to leave," he said ESPN. That principle, first voiced in late July amid doubts over midfielder Lucas Bergvall's future, now sits over Richarlison too. De Zerbi wants Bergvall to stay but has offered no guarantees of a starting place, according to Reuters Reuters. The message is consistent: commitment is non-negotiable, squad role is not.

Tottenham are not standing still while the situation unfolds. The club have already spent a record-breaking £237 million this transfer window and are set to continue pursuing two more attackers BBC Sport. One target is understood to be Manchester City's Savinho, while Liverpool's Cody Gakpo has also been linked. In other words, even as one forward's future hangs in the balance, reinforcements are being lined up at the door.

For fans, the picture is both exciting and slightly uncomfortable. Richarlison delivers a winner in Sydney one minute; his manager is openly questioning his commitment the next. A player in the final year of his contract, scoring important goals, but reportedly unsettled — that is a difficult circle for any club to square.

What gives the moment its edge is De Zerbi's willingness to say it out loud. Managers usually deflect, insisting every player is happy and focused. This one is telling the truth as he sees it, and trusting the squad to handle it. Whether that approach pays off will be tested soon enough — the new season is weeks away, and Richarlison's next move, on or off the pitch, will tell us plenty.