Chelsea look set to keep 26-year-old star in January despite Serie A interest

Chelsea could keep hold of Emerson as Marcos Alonso is linked with Spain move

A report by Express states that Chelsea could make a U-turn on their decision to sell Emerson Palmieri in January.

This news comes after reports have increasingly linked Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso with a move to Atletico Madrid. The Spaniard is not the club’s first-choice left-back and has struggled for minutes this season.

The same goes for Emerson Palmieri, but Chelsea may want to keep him in case Alonso departs the club. Emerson has overtaken Alonso in the Chelsea pecking order.

The Italian has made 8 appearances for the club this season, compared to Alonso’s 3. Emerson has attracted interest from elsewhere as Chelsea looked keen on selling him.

Serie A champions Juventus were one of the teams interested in him, but talks broke down in the summer. Apart from Juventus, Emerson has been linked with a move to Inter Milan to play under former manager Antoni Conte. However, things look a little different now. (h/t football.london)

If Alonso does leave, Chelsea will only have Emerson as a natural left-back behind Ben Chilwell.

With fixtures coming at a breakneck speed, Chelsea would hope to have ample depth available. The fixture congestion has already impacted the club as they have just 1 win in their last 5 league games.

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In such a scenario, Emerson might prove to be an effective option on the bench for squad rotation. The 26-year-old has 63 appearances under his belt since he joined Chelsea in January 2018.

And if Marcos Alonso does leave the club, it becomes imperative that Chelsea have cover for Chilwell.