Emerson Agent Confirms Chelsea-Roma Transfer Talks (Update: Dzeko, too!)

While it’s true that the large portion of rumors one reads during any given transfer window are usually about 99% fluff, every now and then an interested party, be it the player, an agent or an emissary of some sort, chimes in and lends a bit of credence to an otherwise unfounded rumor. While no such person has appeared in the Radja Nainggolan to China saga, we (sadly) can’t say the same for our dear Emerson Palmieri.

Early in the week we touched base on the rumor that Antonio Conte and Chelsea—perhaps trying to stick it to Roma for repeatedly denying them Nainggolan—were interested in Roma’s Italian-Brazilian hybrid left back, Emerson. Passed along by Gianluca Di Marzio, the rumor was about as unsubstantiated as they come, possessing no figures or even second-hand reporting of some clandestine meeting on the Rock of GIbraltar.

But, it now appears that there is smoke to this impending fire. Speaking to the media today, Palmieri’s agent, Fernando Garcia, shed a bit of light on the Emerson to Chelsea rumors:

There’s nothing certain yet, we are in a phase of discussion and evaluation...Chelsea are a concrete possibility, absolutely. Now the two clubs are talking, we’ll see if they reach a positive conclusion.

I have no planned trips to Italy, at least for the moment, as we are waiting for developments. Obviously, Emerson would love to play in the Premier League and it’d be a dream to work with Conte, as he is among the best Coaches in the world.

Source: Football Italia via Calciomercato

The two clubs are talking and Chelsea is a concrete option—no equivocation there, huh?

So now what? Well, it appears as though, again if this rumor is indeed true and progressed as far as Garcia suggests, the two sides are haggling over a potential €5 to €10 million difference, with Roma holding “tight” to a €30 million evaluation for Emerson.

Normally I hate it when people ask themselves questions as a means of proving a point, but in this instance, it fits the bill....

• Is €30 million a great price for a player coming off a serious knee injury, not to mention one who really on has one season of success with one specific manager under his belt? Yes, absolutely.
• Would this sale, no matter the price, reinforce what so many of us suspect—that Roma will sell anything not bolted to the floor? Yes, absolutely.

The potential sale of Emerson Palmieri, like so much of the business this club undertakes, is fraught with anxiety and uncertainty, but you just know in the end Roma will be the ones with egg on their face.

It may be reductive to say, but at some point the carousel has to stop, at some point Roma must, you know, actually build and maintain a team rather than salivating the moment the shop door rings.

Mega, Mega, Mega update:

According to that piece, Chelsea are also trying to throw Edin Dzeko into the deal, offering €50 million for the pair, with Roma reportedly holding out for €65 million.

Stay tuned!