Tottenham Hotspur secured the signing of Emerson Royal before the transfer deadline – and it has been branded the most difficult deal of the summer.
Tottenham wanted a new right back and were linked with a host of options over the summer.
One of them, Takehiro Tomiyasu, ended up at Arsenal instead.
In the end, Tottenham signed Emerson. The Brazilian had only been a full-time Barcelona player for a couple of months, but was sold for quick profit.
Emerson had been playing for Real Betis over the previous two-and-a-half years. The two Spanish clubs had a co-ownership deal in place, with Barcelona taking full control this summer.
Emerson only really became a realistic option for Tottenham in the final days of the window.
On deadline day, Tottenham pushed through the deal, signing Emerson permanently despite loan rumours.
Fabio Paratici had pulled it off, and Emerson made his Tottenham debut on Saturday. Sadly, it ended in a 3-0 thrashing at Crystal Palace.
Emerson should be an upgrade over Serge Aurier at right back though, and still has plenty of room to develop at just 23.
Now, agent Andrea Pellegatti – who seemingly worked on the deal as an intermediary – has claimed Emerson to Tottenham was the most difficult deal of the window.
Speaking to Tuttomercatoweb, Pellegatti claimed that the limited amount of time and the money on the table meant Emerson to Tottenham was harder than any other deal in recent months.
“At the brokerage level, that of Emerson Royal to Tottenham from Barcelona,” said Pellegatti. “Both for the timing and for the figures on the table between the companies and then it closed on 31 August,” he added.
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