This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.
Thomas Frank could be extra attentive to Tottenham striker Richarlison’s performances over the coming days.
Richarlison is expected to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, with interest from Brazilian and Turkish clubs.
The Brazilian had a season of inconsistent performances and injuries, which have made it difficult for Frank to trust him.
However, there is still a lot of football to be played during pre-season, and Richarlison will be looking to send a message to Frank.
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Richarlison to ‘see minutes’ against Luton or Wycombe
Tottenham will face Luton Town and Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday (26 July) as part of their pre-season preparations.
The Lilywhites turned heads with a 2-0 win against Reading during their opening pre-season confrontation. Luka Vuskovic and Mohammed Kudus were stand-outs, with the former contributing to both goals.
Richarlison caused concern when he was left out of the squad to face Reading, but Frank later confirmed this was due to injury.
But he is set for a return to the matchday squad, and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes Richarlison could feature against either Luton or Wycombe.
“You’ve probably got Cristian Romero against one of Wycombe or Luton, Micky van de Ven with the other,” Wenham said.
“You’ve probably got Pedro Porro with one, Djed Spence with one. That sort of thing. So it is about balancing it out throughout the squad.
“We’re probably going to see Richarlison get his first minutes as well. I don’t know if that’s going to be against Wycombe or Luton. However, there’s still got to be space for the likes of Will Lankshear and Dominic Solanke.”
Tottenham should sell Richarlison this summer
There is no doubt that Richarlison will take the next run of pre-season fixtures as a chance to impress his new coach. However, Tottenham should still sell him this summer.
Constant injuries and poor form have prevented him from living up to initial expectations. Last season, the Brazilian contributed to seven goals in 24 appearances, levels below what is expected at Spurs.
As a result, the Lilywhites should give priority to more consistent players. Furthermore, with Mathys Tel signing a permanent contract, Solanke and the addition of Kudus, Spurs have several players who can occupy that centre-forward position.
Therefore, it is time for the club to cash in on Richarlison, even if it is with a heavy heart.