Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has dropped an interesting claim on the Transfer Talk podcast about Emerson Royal’s Tottenham Hotspur future.
The Brazilian defender was signed by former manager Nuno Espirito Santo from Barcelona last summer for around £25m, so will have naturally arrived with higher expectations from fans, however, what he’s been able to offer is far from that, as he came in for criticism during an inconsistent campaign.
His performances have thus led to reports claiming he may be sold this summer by Spurs and head back to La Liga, and that potential move could accelerate if and when Tottenham manage to secure the services of Djed Spence, according to Sheth.
Sheth claims that Spurs’s advanced talks with Spence could well force Emerson out of the door.
Do Spurs need to sign Spence?
Yes!
No!
He said: “Interesting one, this one – Atletico Madrid [are] interested in Emerson Royal, the Tottenham right-back. They have been interested in him before, actually; they did try to sign him from Barcelona last summer before Tottenham got in and paid £25.8m on Deadline Day, but that was under Nuno Espirito Santo.
“I just wonder, with Tottenham in advanced talks with Middlesbrough over Djed Spence, whether Royal’s first-team chances could be limited next season.”
TIF Thoughts on Emerson Royal’s future…
While bringing in a young English player in the form of Spence could be seen as building for the future from Spurs and Antonio Conte, Emerson himself is still only 23, so also has age on his side – although he doesn’t appear to be cut out for English football judging by several of his performances last season.
Emerson started 26 league games last term, but Conte and Spurs seemingly haven’t been left impressed by his displays, which has seen them move swiftly for Middlesbrough ace Spence, who would add competition to Matt Doherty on the right-hand side if he came in to replace Royal.