Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma has apparently leaked Emerson Royal’s departure from the club before an official announcement was made.
Royal are the focus of keen interest from Serie A giants AC Milan as new head coach Paulo Fonseca shapes his squad for the upcoming season.
3
The Pitch Prospect understands that a deal with Royal is well advanced but talks are ongoing, although Italian reports estimate the Brazilian’s contract to be worth £12.8 million. [€15m] plus bonuses is done.
While nothing is official yet, a Snapchat video from Bissouma seems to suggest it won’t be long now.
The Malian international is pictured in his Spurs training kit, while Emerson wears a red shirt. The pair share a long, secret handshake before sharing a tight hug.
Below the video, Bissouma wrote: “One of the best guys I’ve ever seen in my life. All the best there bro. I love you. I’ll come visit you there soon.”
Royal moved from LaLiga heavyweight Barcelona to Tottenham in 2021 for £25.8 million [€30m] after his impressive two-year loan spell at Real Betis.
The 25-year-old played 101 games for the north Londoners, scoring four goals and providing two assists.
Royal has also won ten caps for Brazil, most recently starting in a 1-0 loss to Argentina.
Royal is a right-back by profession and had to step in as a left-back and centre-back several times last season due to the injury crisis in Tottenham’s defence.
Unfortunately for Royal, he was never Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou’s first choice at right-back; the Australian preferred Pedro Porro instead.
Tottenham had the opportunity to part ways with Royal in the January transfer window, as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr paid the club £21 million. [€25m] Bid.
3
3
However, TalkSPORT assumed that the club had rejected Al Nassr’s advances.
Royal only played in six more Premier League games after the transfer window closed in January, four of them in the starting eleven.
He will no doubt be looking forward to more playing time at Milan, who finished second in Serie A but only made it to the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia and Europa League.