Emerson reiterates his unhappiness at Chelsea as Juventus look to make space

Despite being a starter for the Italy national team, Emerson has found playing time hard to come by at Chelsea, with the 26-year-old managing just 150 minutes since the start of the season. He expressed his expected unhappiness regarding this situation back in October, and has now restated his feelings in a press conference in the November international break as well.

“Here at the national team I play, I have fun and I’m fine. The coach told me that the best solution for me is to play, at Chelsea or in another team, let’s wait for the next two months and see what will happen.”

“Unfortunately I’m not playing at Chelsea, but I’m calm, I think things can improve in London or in another place. There was some interest in me but not concrete things. I’d like to return to play in Italy but I can’t say if it will happen in January or in five years.”

— Emerson Palmieri; source: Calciomercato (via Sport Witness)

One club who might fulfill Emerson’s desire to return to Italy are Juventus. The Bianconeri have been linked to the left back in the recent past, but according to Corriere Torino (via Inside Futbol), they’re waiting to offload Federico Bernardeschi — who was offered to Chelsea in the summer — before they make a move for Emerson.

Bernardeschi, once very highly-rated, has fallen completely out of favor at Juve, playing even less than Emerson at Chelsea with just 114 minutes to his name. Alex Sandro’s injury troubles have made signing a new left back even more imperative, and letting Bernardeschi leave would be one way to find the funds and the space needed in the squad.

Emerson has been heavily linked to Italian clubs in the past of course — Juve and Inter Milan the two most common — but a move has yet to actually materialize. Let’s hope Chelsea actually receive a decent offer in January then.