Reports: Chelsea in contact with Roma over move for 23-year-old star

What's the rumour?

As reported in the Metro, who got it from Italian website Gianluca Di Marzio, Chelsea have reportedly made contact with Roma over a possible January move for 23-year-old left-back Emerson Palmieri dos Santos. The Blues' manager was reportedly interested in signing Alex Sandro, but with Juventus playing hardball, the Italian is looking at other options to bolster the left-back position at Chelsea.

According to the same report in Metro, Liverpool and Juventus are also interested in securing the services of the 23-year-old and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the former Palermo star.

In case you didn't know...

Emerson Palmieri is one of the most talented young full-backs in world football at the moment

The Brazilian left-back has just recovered from a serious injury. The 23-year-old has made only 2 appearances for Roma this season so far, but that does not seem to have deterred the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, and Juventus.

Blessed with good pace, crossing skills, and dribbling ability, Palmieri can certainly be an excellent addition to Antonio Conte's side.

The heart of the matter

Chelsea squad looks slightly threadbare this season and the potential addition of a promising left-back could add some much-needed depth and quality to the Premier League giants. Alex Sandro would be an ideal addition to Conte's side, but with the Blues reportedly facing a challenge from Manchester United, Emerson Palmieri could well prove to be a more realistic target.

The young Brazilian is full of potential and if he manages to remain fit, he could well turn out to be a world-class fullback in the future.

Rumour rating/probability

5/10

While Palmieri could prove to be a shrewd acquisition for Chelsea, reports around the footballing world have stated that Chelsea and Manchester United still remain keen on a deal for Juventus star Alex Sandro.

With multiple clubs reportedly interested in signing the 23-year-old Roma star, there could well be a few hurdles for Chelsea to cross before potentially signing Emerson Palmieri.

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Author's take

Emerson Palmieri is filled with potential and in my humble opinion, it would well be worth Chelsea's time to take a punt on the talented Brazilian. Still only 23, Palmieri definitely has the skillset to make a favourable impression on the Premier League.