Chelsea want €20m for Emerson amid interest from Serie A clubs: Reports
Chelsea are looking to offload fullback Emerson Palmieri amid interest from Inter Milan and Napoli, and have already put a price tag on the player.
According to The Hard Tackle, the Premier League side will demand €20m for Emerson, who has dropped down the pecking order of late. Antonio Conte is eager to add the player to his Inter Milan squad and could launch an offensive for Emerson in the summer.
Emerson was brought to Chelsea by Conte in January 2018. The Italian manager departed six months later and even though the player did enjoy brief spells as the first choice left-back under Maurizio Sarri, he soon found himself out of favor at Stamford Bridge. Frank Lampard’s arrival brought temporary respite, but Englishman’s preference for Ben Chilwell soon spelled doom for Emerson.
That trend has refused to change under new manager Thomas Tuchel, who has identified Marcos Alonso as the more naturally suited wingback in his new system at Chelsea. And since both Inter Milan and Napoli are eager for Emerson’s services, the Blues would not mind letting the player go.
Conte has done a commendable job with the Nerazzurri this season but is looking to reinforce his left wingback area in the summer. With Ashley Young turning 36 in July and Ivan Perisic failing to warm up to the full-back role, the Italian has identified the Chelsea player as the ideal man for the job. However, Inter Milan could face stiff competition from Napoli for the player’s signature.
The Partenopei have tracked Emerson for some time and believe that the player would solve their left-back crisis. With Mario Rui failing to impress and Faouzi Ghoulam sustaining a serious injury, Gennaro Gattuso would love to see off competition from Inter Milan and secure a deal for the Chelsea man.
A reunion with Conte at Inter Milan could entice the Chelsea player
Emerson has managed 66 appearances for Chelsea over three seasons and has appeared just 11 times for the Blues this term. He would not mind making the move to Serie A, having already played in Italy with AS Roma and Palermo. A reunion with Conte at Inter Milan would also entice the player, who has grown frustrated at the lack of chances at Stamford Bridge.
It is not clear whether Inter Milan or Napoli would be willing to match Chelsea’s valuation of the player, but Emerson’s time at Stamford Bridge is certainly coming to an end.