Official: Emerson Palmieri joins Olympique Lyonnais on loan from Chelsea

Triple European Champion Emerson (Champions League, Super Cup, Euro 2020/1) has today joined French top division side Olympique Lyonnais, with both clubs confirming the season-long loan that looked like an actual transfer for a hot minute, but will be just a temporary arrangement after all — for a €500k fee (with another €500k in potential bonuses).

Lyon have a confirmed buy-option, possibly as high as €15m, included. Meanwhile, Emerson has also confirmed that he has two years left on Chelsea contract in a recent interview with ESPN Brasil, so we had already extended his contract before this move, even.

Somewhat surprisingly, given Emerson’s general lack of involvement since pretty much day one after arriving at Chelsea in January 2017 — just 71 appearances in 3.5+ seasons, less than half of which, 33, have come in the Premier League — this will be his first stint in the Loan Army.

Lyon finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season and have gotten off to a rather poor start. They are winless in the first two games of the season and were at the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline against Angers SCO last weekend. Ouch.

Good luck, Emerson!