Last year, Tottenham Hotspur pulled a last-minute deal for FC Barcelona right-back Emerson Royal during the summer transfer window. It was a surprise move to help reinforce the right-back position.
However, a few months into his first season, the Brazilian has yet to convince Spurs that he’s the right man for the job. Furthermore, Football. London’s Alasdair Gold shared his thoughts on “Gold and Guest talk Tottenham” regarding the future of Royal.
Gold stated that he would not be surprised to see Royal leave the club in the summer should manager Antonio Conte stick around next season.
“He may well come good, but there’s just got to be so much improvement,” Gold said. “If Conte is around next season, I can’t see Emerson Royal being one of his wing-backs. I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s a player who moves on quite quickly again in the summer.”
Tottenham reportedly paid £26-million for the 23-year-old and hasn’t been worth what the purchased.
Royal played Middlesbrough’s Josh Coburn onside and was late on his slide to block the shot leading to the game-winning goal and Tottenham’s elimination from the FA Cup.
It’s one sample of the challenging campaign Royal has endured with Spurs. This season, Royal has made 33 appearances for Spurs, averaging 75 minutes per game in Premier League competition.