MAURIZIO SARRI is eyeing up a move for his former Chelsea pal Emerson Palmieri, reports in Italy claim.
Alex Sandro is the undisputed left-back at Juventus but sat out the weekend win at Atalanta with a hamstring issue.
Emerson, 25, has made himself Frank Lampard’s first-choiceCredit: AP:Associated Press
Whenever the Brazilian has been absent, coach Sarri tends to shoehorn in a player from a different position with centre-midfielder Blaise Matuidi and right-back Mattia de Sciglio filling in.
Finding a more natural replacement in the form of Emerson is reported by Corriere dello Sport as one solution to this problem.
Born in Brazil, the Italian international spent a season with Palermo before moving to Roma and impressing many onlookers.
Most of his time at Chelsea has been as a back-up but new boss Frank Lampard is giving him a chance to make the left-back slot his own this season.
Aside from games missed with an earlier hamstring problem, Emerson has started most of his available Premier League games including each of the last three.
That might make a decision to move to Serie A leaders Juve tough – Lampard likely wanting to try hard and keep a player who himself would be trading first-team football for a back-up spot.
Under Sarri, Emerson played the vast majority of his games in the cup with Marcos Alonso the clear first-choice at left-back.
That did mean appearances in the finals of the League Cup and Europa League, the latter seeing him notch an assist for Olivier Giroud’s opener.
Emerson exiting Chelsea would leave Lampard with just Alonso as a natural, senior left-back but Cesar Azpilicueta can fill across with Baba Rahman and Juan Castillo out on loan.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
