Can Everton sign Richarlison for free? FIFA regulations assessed as Tottenham contract termination wanted

Everton's transfer saga with Richarlison may not be over.

The Toffees missed out on signing a number nine on deadline day after a deal for Monaco's Folarin Balogun fell through.

But there was an agreement in place for the Blues to bring Richarlison back to the club, years after he left to join Tottenham Hotspur.

The Brazil international was vocal on social media up until the deadline, revealing that Everton was the club of his heart.

However, after a return move to the Toffees failed to materialise, Spurs subsequently left the striker out of their 25-man Premier League squad.

Richarlison is now seeking legal action to terminate his deal at Tottenham, but can Everton sign him on a free transfer?

Richarlison seeks post-window Tottenham exit

The free agent market is something that David Moyes and Co. have already looked at, as Everton inquired about signing Anthony Martial for free.

Though the Premier League's registration period has slammed shut, any player who became a free agent before the deadline would still be able to move and be registered for another team before January.

But Richarlison's case is slightly different.

According to an update from talkSPORT on Thursday, the 29-year-old has approached FIFA about the possibility of terminating his Tottenham contract after being left out of the squad.

The player would argue that he is now being prevented from practising his profession, following in the footsteps of Brazilian compatriot Renan Lodi, who had a similar issue at Al Hilal last summer.

Richarlison is in talks to join Brazilian side Vasco da Gama, though if his approach to FIFA was successful, that would mean the Toffees could try to reopen negotiations, this time for a free transfer.

But what do FIFA regulations suggest about Everton's possibility of signing Richarlison as a free agent?

What FIFA regulations mean for possible Everton move for Richarlison

Richarlison reportedly rejected the chance to sign for Everton, but there were multiple reasons for this, in what was realistically a late and difficult deal to do.

As mentioned, Everton could technically sign the centre-forward on a free transfer if his deal with Tottenham is terminated.

But usually, if a player is contracted to a club past the summer registration window, like Richarlison, they would have to wait until the January market opens before being allowed to play for a new team.

As highlighted by the FA, Article 6 of FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players states, "Where a contract has been terminated with just cause, FIFA may take provisional measures in order to avoid abuse".

This means that FIFA can step in and help Richarlison terminate his Spurs contract and make a temporary decision concerning the player's registration status, instead of waiting until a conclusion to the contractual dispute is reached.

In total, Richarlison could have his Tottenham contract terminated with just cause, but whether he would be allowed to play for a club like Everton past the registration period would depend on the application of the FIFA regulations.

There are not many examples of similar situations, especially in the Premier League, but nothing is off the table right now.