Liverpool are reportedly looking to reinforce their defensive setup and are eyeing a January move for AS Roma left-back Emerson Palmieri, as per reports from Gazzamercato (h/t Daily Mail).
The report claims that Jurgen Klopp is looking to fork out €25m (£22m) for the defender and will make a move in the January transfer window. The same source also quotes that Klopp’s interest in Emerson isn’t new, as the German tracked the defender back in the summer transfer window as well. Had it not been for the serious knee injury he suffered back in May, he could have very well joined us.
Emerson is expected to be back in action next month. The defender is currently recovering from a torn ACL and as soon as he returns, Liverpool will make an official approach with a proposal worth €25m. The 23-year-old left-back will be offered a four-and-a-half-year deal. – until 2022 – and will be earning more than what he does at Roma. Should the capital club sanction his move, they will make a considerable profit from the deal given that they only signed him for €2m from Santos back in 2015.
Klopp has time and again been advised to add solid options at the back and despite signing Andrew Roberston this summer, Klopp sees Emerson as a worthy candidate for the job. Alberto Moreno is finally showing some glitters, yet he remains a leery deputy. In Emerson, Klopp will not only add another option, but will get a versatile defender who can also play as a winger. The 23-year-old has also played as a right-back for Roma and was even deployed in advanced positions as well.
Emerson is known to play short and crisp passes and given that he averags 87.4% of pass completion, it perfectly underlines his mentality. Furthermore, unlike Moreno, Emerson loves doing his defensive duties as well and is quite strong in his aerial duels.
The left-back was born in Santos, Brazil and represented the Canarinho at under-17 level during the 2011 South American Under-17 Football Championship and also during 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup. However, with him having an Italian ancestry on his mother’s side, he changed his international allegiance to Italy earlier this month. It now remains to be seen whether Klopp will actually move for Emerson or not.
