Real Betis director Antonio Cordon has admitted that retaining the services of reported Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur target Emerson Royal will not be easy, while speaking to Sport.
In an ideal world, Los Verdiblancos would tie their Brazilian international right-back down to a long-term contract and put an end to all that speculation.
If only things were so simple.
Emerson is only on loan at Betis from Barcelona and, as it stands, his future is out of their control.
Calciomercato reported in March that the 22-year-old is a target for West Ham United, with Arsenal also hot on the trail of the buccaneering full-back (MD).
Tottenham were the latest Premier League team to be linked, via Estadio Deportivo, with neither Serge Aurier nor Matt Doherty performing with any real consistency in North London.
What’s more, Goal reports that cash-strapped Barcelona would consider selling another fringe player to the Premier League should they receive a bid in the region of £23 million.
And Cordon knows that, while Betis would love to keep Emerson at the Estadio Benito Villamarin, their hands are tied.
“Of course we would like him to stay but we all know his contractual status,” Cordon said, before suggesting that a decision on Emerson’s future could be taken within the next two weeks.
“In 15 days, it will be time to see what decisions to make.
“It is a season in which we have all seen his growth and evolution. He is a player who is ready to play for any team.”
Emerson has also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich recently.
There is a chance that Barcelona could bring the former Atletico Mineiro man back to the Camp Nou to compete with Sergino Dest for a starting berth under Ronald Koeman.
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