Emerson: Serie A return could happen but I have contract with Chelsea now

Emerson Palmieri discusses his career at Roma and Chelsea, working with Antonio Conte, Luciano Spalletti, Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard. ‘A return to Serie A could happen.’

The 25-year-old was born and raised in Brazil, but moved to Palermo in 2014 and decided to represent Italy at international level.

“I was very happy in Serie A, including with the culture, which is also why I chose to play for Italy,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“A return to Serie A could happen, but I have a contract with Chelsea and I’m in no rush to go anywhere. It has been a wonderful experience at Chelsea, as first there was Conte, so obviously it was easier to deal with an Italian coach.

“As for Sarri, I’ve no words for what a marvellous year we had, as we finished third in the Premier League, reached the Carabao Cup Final and won the Europa League. We can’t complain!”

Emerson has been repeatedly linked with Juventus and Inter, where he’d reunite with either of those two coaches.

“I learned a lot from Conte, he proved himself to be a fantastic coach, but I think for the time we worked together and the results we achieved, I got even more from Sarri.

“Spalletti at Roma is more of a friend or a father figure, he talks to you every day, asks about your family, makes sure you’re happy. Sarri is more focused on the pitch, but you can tell he’s got a gigantic heart, even if he doesn’t speak as much.

“They are quite similar, although Sarri is more tactical and focused, while Spalletti leaves a little more room for fun in his training sessions. Sarri definitely got angrier!

“Frank Lampard is young, he was a player until recently, so he knows how to talk to the players. He was an idol at Chelsea and I’m sure he’ll get even better as a coach. He’s got a great heart.”

As Euro 2020 was postponed until next summer, Emerson hopes to get into Roberto Mancini’s Italy squad for the tournament.

“Mancini created a wonderful environment in the Azzurri, as the days pass by so quickly when we’re at Coverciano for training. He takes the pressure off, lets you have fun and work well.”