Al-Ittihad are understood to have explored a move to sign Richarlison from Spurs before the transfer deadline, having failed in a bid to prise Mohamed Salah from Liverpool.
The Saudi Pro League side saw an offer worth around £150m rejected for Salah in the closing stages of the transfer window, but the Egyptian was not the only Premier League forward the club considered.
The Telegraph are reporting that Richarlison was also on the radar of the Saudi champions and talks were held ‘through intermediaries’, before running out of time to agree a deal before Thursday night’s deadline.
Richarlison signed for Spurs in a deal which could reach a club record £60m including add-ons last summer, but has struggled to replicate his Everton form in north London to date.
The 26-year-old scored just once in 27 Premier League appearances for Spurs last season and was dropped to the bench for the recent win at Burnley after going goalless in the opening three games of the new campaign.
The Brazilian remains highly-rated however, and is a regular for the national team. Richarlison scored three goals during Brazil’s run to the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals last winter.
