Flamengo ‘tie’ Royal sale to full-back cover, says José Boto | OneFootball

Emerson Royal will stay at Flamengo even after a multimillion-dollar offer from an English club

It is no surprise that Aston Villa (ENG) showed interest in signing Emerson Royal. So far, the English club has indicated an offer of 9 million euros (around R$ 53 million). However, the Most Beloved will not sell the full-back at any cost.

In short, Flamengo will only agree to sell Emerson Royal if they can sign a replacement of the same level. At the moment, however, the situation is quite different. That is because the market is experiencing a kind of ‘shortage’ when it comes to full-backs — both right and left.

What did José Boto say?

In an exclusive interview given to Coluna do Fla directly from Portugal last week, Flamengo football director José Boto spoke about the matter. In a chat with reporter Rock Hudson, the executive explained the conditions involving Emerson Royal.

— These are positions where there is a huge shortage: the full-back roles. You Brazilians saw that now at the World Cup, right? It is a position, especially right-back, that is difficult. There are no full-backs for Aston Villa, just as there are none for Flamengo -, he said, before adding:

— In other words, if we lose our right-backs, we will have no replacement. And that is also one of the things involved in the director’s role. It is not about acting on the emotion of what the fans or journalists or influencers think. It is about thinking: yes, we are going to sell the right-back we have, but who are we going to bring in? -, Boto asked.

Watch the full interview on Coluna do Fla

Does Emerson Royal like the idea?

It is worth noting that last Wednesday (08), Emerson Royal spoke about the matter. In short, the right-back saw having his work recognized in Europe in a ‘positive light’ and did not close the door on the ‘Old Continent.’ However, the player made it clear that his mind is fully focused on Flamengo.

— As I always say, until anything is decided, my mind is always on Flamengo. I am very happy to receive this offer, because it shows that my work is being done well. My mind is on Flamengo, but I do not know what the future holds -, said Royal.

What was Aston Villa’s offer for Royal?

As mentioned earlier, Aston Villa offered around 9 million euros (approximately R$ 53 million) to Flamengo for Emerson Royal. However, even with the high amount on the table, the Rubro-Negro decided to keep the right-back in the squad.

At the moment, Emerson Royal is one of the most important players in Leonardo Jardim’s tactical setup. In addition, Flamengo also surveyed the market and concluded that it is not easy to find a right-back to replace him in the rubro-negro squad.

What now?

Now, with Royal available, Flamengo is back in Brazil. However, the Most Beloved still has one friendly before returning to official competitions. Thus, on Friday (17), Fla will face Olimpia (PAR) at Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasília. The match kicks off at 8:00 p.m. (Brasília time).

When does Flamengo officially return to action?

Finally, Flamengo will only return to the pitch on July 22. On that occasion, the Most Beloved will face Chapecoense in a match valid for the 19th round of the Brazilian Championship. In addition, the clash will be played away from home at Arena Condá. The match kicks off at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), with live coverage from Rede Globo on free-to-air TV, as well as Premiere on pay-per-view.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.