Category Uncategorized

Former AC Milan defender Emerson Royal opened up about his difficult spell at the San Siro, revealing that the negative attention he received in Italy made him a more talked about figure than Cristiano Ronaldo. The lack of appreciation from supporters, combined with a lengthy spell on the sidelines, ultimately influenced his decision to leave Milan. However, the Brazilian admitted that he is now happy at Flamengo, where he has settled back into life in his home country and rediscovered his confidence.

• Emerson struggled at Milan

  Emerson arrived at Milan from Tottenham in a €16 million (£13m/$18m) deal, brought in to strengthen the right flank. Under Paulo Fonseca, he initially became the starting right-back ahead of Davide Calabria, but his time at the club quickly turned turbulent. Although he showed flashes of quality, his performances were marked by inconsistency, positioning errors and a struggle to adapt to Milan’s tactical demands, leading to a mixed and ultimately disappointing spell.

  He did enjoy one high point, winning the Supercoppa Italiana under Sergio Conceicao after Milan’s victory over Inter. However, the relationship between player and coach deteriorated soon after, pushing Emerson further down the pecking order. A move to Fenerbahce was close, but an untimely injury caused the transfer to collapse.

  Eventually, Milan decided to move him on, and Emerson joined Flamengo in a permanent €9 million deal in the 2025 summer window bringing an end to a difficult chapter in his career.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Emerson opens up about his difficult life at Milan

  In an interview to , Emerson recalled the negative attention he received after arriving in Milan, explaining that no matter how hard he tried, he struggled to gain acceptance from the fans. 

  "I arrived in Italy with a slightly strange feeling right from the start. From the beginning, every time I said or did something, people talked about me more than they talked about Cristiano Ronaldo, but in a negative way. I felt like I always had to do twice as much to be accepted, and then still not be accepted anyway," he said.

  "It all started with me and my request. I spoke to my family and my agent, and the idea of leaving had already become a priority. I couldn't continue with that feeling. The same thing had happened to me at Tottenham, but there I managed to change their minds: you arrive, people talk, then they don't want you to leave. It's always a matter of time and adaptation. Initially, I thought I would do the same at Milan, stay to really prove who I am. But after the injury and months on the sidelines, that feeling grew even stronger. And when I realised that my relationship with the environment had worn thin, I realised that staying would not be the right choice."

  However, things have turned around for Emerson since his move to Flamengo. The Brazilian has settled back into his home country and is thriving, with Flamengo leading the Brazilian Serie A by two points. Reflecting on his resurgence, he said: "Today I am well and finally happy again. Coming back here after so many years away has been special. We are competing in two important competitions and one of the reasons I chose to return was to make myself better known to the people of my country, because I have been abroad for so long. It is a wonderful feeling to feel appreciated."

• Milan recovering all their players from injury

  Milan appointed Massimiliano Allegri as head coach in the summer, and his arrival brought a shift to a 3-5-2 system with Alexis Saelemaekers operating effectively as the right wing-back. The team has responded well to the new structure, sitting third in the table after crucial wins over Napoli and Roma, and now just two points behind rivals Inter. An injury crisis in October disrupted their rhythm, but Milan have since recovered key players, including Christian Pulisic, Ardon Jashari, Adrien Rabiot and Pervis Estupinan. Their return comes at the perfect moment as Allegri prepares for a decisive derby clash against Inter.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Top of the table Derby clash

  With Milan recovering key players over the international break and Pulisic scoring in a friendly against Virtus Entella, Allegri will now look to use his returning starters to make important adjustments to his style of play, with Milan set for a virtual six-pointer against Inter on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur will look to kick on once the January transfer window opens and could be willing to put their money where their mouth is to sign Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, but circumstances will need to align.

The Lilywhites have become a thorn in the side of many Premier League outfits this campaign due to their physicality and new-found ability to convert from set-pieces, making them a dangerous opposition to come up against on any given day.

Mohammed Kudus has shone in the forward areas and Spurs have earned a new lease of life after their domestic form last term, with Thomas Frank deserving of credit for managing to solidify the Lilywhites in all areas.

Despite his mixed start to life in North London, the Dane made clear before his side took on Chelsea that Xavi Simons is another figure he expects to come to life in the heart of his side.

He said: “Yes. No doubt about that. I’m not in doubt that Xavi will perform very well for us. That is down to him, to me, to the team, to everyone to get it done. The one thing you don’t have in football is time, but it will take time.

“It’s completely natural. Sometimes we can’t talk about processes and time and all that, but the reality is you need it, everyone needs it. I’m confident. I’m sure it will happen.”

Frank’s outfit appear to be solid from middle to front, that much is true, but there is always room for improvement when you are eyeing a slot in the Champions League places.

With that in mind, Spurs are now plotting a January bid for a star who they may be set to put their large transfer kitty towards.

Tottenham line up Scott McTominay amid huge Napoli demands

According to Football Insider, Tottenham will look to put their sizeable transfer kitty towards signing Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, who could be at the centre of an intriguing saga involving both parties.

Fabio Paratici has set his sights on the Scotland international and the money on offer could be a lure for the former Manchester United man to return to the Premier League. However, Pete O’Rourke believes it would take a ‘huge’ statement of intent from Spurs to push a deal over the line.

He said: “Napoli won’t want to weaken their squad by losing such an important player like Scott McTominay. He’s under contract until 2028, so, to even consider selling him would be a huge fee as well.”

Intriguingly, the same report has floated the idea of Kobbie Mainoo joining Napoli, which could pave the way for movement to take place elsewhere, albeit that remains unlikely for now.

Tottenham are also eyeing another Serie A goalscorer

Still, McTominay has been a titan since joining the reigning Serie A champions in 2024 and has continued that form into this term, placing seven of his 16 shots taken on target, per Fotmob, hence why Frank is keen to do a deal.

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!