AC Milan have turned the San Siro into something of a landing spot, in recent times, for Premier League players falling on hard times.
It was a trend kicked off by Fikayo Tomori’s move from Chelsea to the Rossoneri in 2020. From Stamford Bridge benchwarmer to Serie A champion in the blink of an eye.
Tomori’s former Chelsea team-mates Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, meanwhile, scored 25 goals between them under Stefano Pioli last term. Olivier Giroud was given a new lease of life, too, by a fresh start in Italy.
And while Divock Origi’s spell in Milan was not quite so successful, the Belgian’s arrival from Liverpool was another brought in by a club who obviously feel there is much value to be found in targeting Premier League misfits with a point to prove.
There are certainly plenty of players of that ilk at Tottenham Hotspur.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Djed Spence, Giovanni Lo Celso and Bryan Gil are among those who will be made available by a Spurs side hoping to trim down a bloated squad. Tottenham might not be quite so keen to part with Emerson Royal, the former Barcelona man making 22 top-flight appearances in 2023/24 and a useful member of Ange Postecoglou‘s squad due to his work-rate and versatility.
But Milan legend Filippo Galli is urging his old employers to test Spurs’ resolve.
Emerson Royal facing uncertain Tottenham future
“If we look at the CV, I would say that he is the right man,” Galli tells Gazzetta dello Sport of Emerson Royal. “He has international experience, which is what Milan needs to raise their level, and he is used to the rhythms of the English league. Another added value.
“He would arrive as an alternative to (Davide) Calabria and rightly so. A great team, if it wants to be one, must have more options.”
Milan recently hired former Lille boss and one-time Tottenham target Paulo Fonseca as their new head coach. And Galli feels that, if Fonseca is to close the gap at the top of the table to Scudetto holders Inter, the Rossoneri need to add more strength in depth.
AC Milan urged to sign former Barcelona man
“At Tottenham, (Emerson) often sacrificed himself in the defensive phase, with decent results,” adds Galli, a five-time Serie A and three-time European Cup winner in red-and-black.
“Milan would make an investment in line with those of last season. However, the Brazilian also (needs to be) convinced of the project. A fundamental aspect.
“Fonseca needs people ready to embrace the cause.”
Tottenham paid around £26 million to bring Emerson to North London back in 2021. The former Real Betis loanee lost his place as the club’s number one right-back after Pedro Porro arrived from Sporting Lisbon a year-and-a-half ago, however.
Porro’s swashbuckling adventure and supreme technical ability makes him a far better fit for Postecoglou’s free-flowing system than the likeable but limited Emerson.
Postecoglou, meanwhile, has indicated that Lo Celso will be free to leave. Hojbjerg, meanwhile, is making no secret of his frustrations at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Spence could yet stay in Italy with Bologna. As for Gil, the forgotten ‘Beatle of Barbate’, Feyenoord have opened the door to a potential Eredivisie switch for a winger far too lightweight for the rigours of English football.
“(We have been interested) for several transfer windows,” Feyenoord technical director Dennis te Kloese tells ESPN about Gil.
“We are looking, again, at what is possible. We offer a fantastic platform to give boys a good continuation of their career, or to prove themselves again. Gil is a good player, but there are many more clubs are looking at that boy.”
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