Aston Villa’s pursuit of Emerson Royal is becoming one of the more intriguing transfer stories of the week. There are fresh claims from Brazil suggesting a deal may be much closer than it appeared just hours ago.
The former Tottenham Hotspur defender has already generated mixed reactions among English supporters following reports of Villa’s interest.
While his spell in north London remains difficult to forget, the 27-year-old has rebuilt his standing since returning to Brazil. Now he finds himself at the centre of negotiations which appear to be accelerating.
Earlier this week, we covered Aston Villa had submitted an offer worth €9m (£7.7m) for the Flamengo right-back.
Journalist Bruno Lemos subsequently stated Flamengo had rejected Villa’s opening proposal, although talks between the clubs were continuing. At the time, that suggested the Brazilian side were standing firm over their valuation.
However, newer information points towards a rather different picture.
Deal now said to be close
Speaking about the negotiations, journalist Venê Casagrande explained the situation is now finely balanced. It could move quickly.
Flamengo are seriously considering the proposal and the transfer could be completed “at any moment”.
The journalist explained the offer is worth around R$55m, approximately €9.4m (£8.1m). He also argued there are several reasons why Flamengo may ultimately decide to proceed.
One of those is financial. Casagrande stated Flamengo paid more than that amount when they signed Emerson Royal. He acknowledged the defender has not produced the level of performances many expected.
Combined with the club’s need to generate transfer income, the journalist suggested a sale could represent a practical solution for all parties.
Most significantly, he added that, based on information he has received from inside Flamengo, the chances of Emerson Royal being sold are “good”.
He also states negotiations have advanced positively in recent days. The offer is being analysed carefully by Flamengo’s hierarchy and there is growing optimism that an agreement can be reached.
According to those reports, the feeling inside the club is that a deal is now closer than it is distant.
Why Flamengo are still hesitating
That does not mean everyone inside Flamengo is convinced. Journalist Pablo Rua has offered insight into why the club have been reluctant to wave the transfer through immediately.
According to Rua, Emerson Royal has the trust of manager Leonardo Jardim. Additionally, he has become what he describes as one of the coach’s preferred players for cup competitions.
The manager is also keen to maintain two viable options for every position in the squad. This complicates any decision to sell.
There is another issue. Rua reports Flamengo do not believe the current offer is particularly attractive from a financial perspective because it is similar to the amount paid to sign Emerson Royal in the first place.
Selling him would also create a technical problem. Youngster Daniel Sales is still considered to be in a transitional stage between academy football and regular first-team involvement.
Those concerns echo previous reports suggesting Flamengo fear any immediate replacement could represent a drop in quality.
Aston Villa appear to be gaining ground
Within a short period, reports moved from Aston Villa submitting an offer to claims of a rejection. After that, there were growing suggestions that the transfer could actually be completed very soon.
What appears to be clear is that Aston Villa have not walked away.
Despite Flamengo’s concerns over squad depth, Leonardo Jardim’s preference to keep the player and the challenge of finding a replacement, several well-connected Brazilian reporters now believe the deal is moving in the right direction.
For a player many of us expected never to see linked with a Premier League return, Emerson Royal suddenly looks much closer to one.
