OFFICIAL: Former Chelsea player Emerson signs for Marseille

Olympique Marseille announce that Emerson joins the club.

Club statement:

Olympique de Marseille is proud to announce the arrival of Italian defender Emerson Palmieri from West Ham.

On the sunny streets of Santos, Brazil, a young boy with tousled hair kicked an old deflated ball with the carefreeness of children and the passion of great destinies. Emerson Palmieri dos Santos was still just a kid among many others, but football, for him, was not a game: it was a mother tongue.

Born in 1994, he grew up in the shadow of the king of football, lulled by the exploits of his elders. Very quickly, Santos FC, the legendary club of Pelé, spotted this left-back with boundless energy and fine technique. At just 17 years old, Emerson was already treading the pitches of the Brazilian championship. But his story, like so many others, took an unexpected turn.

Far from taking root, Emerson takes flight. In 2014, Europe calls him. He sets his sights on Italy: first Palermo, then Rome, where he refines his game, gains in rigor, and seduces with his versatility. He becomes a man of the shadows, precious, discreet, but always ready. Italy adopts him so well that he chooses its nationality. In 2018, he decides to wear the azzurro jersey, a choice of the heart as much as of reason.

What follows is an undeniable ascent. Transferred to Chelsea, Emerson discovers England, its gentle rains and its frenetic pace. He wins the Europa League in 2019, the Champions League in 2021, then joins Lyon on loan. In France, he rediscovers a more Latin-style football. But it is with Italy that he reaches for the stars: in 2021, during the European Championship, he becomes European champion, a symbol of cultural and sporting integration.

Return to England in 2022. With West Ham, Emerson completes his collection of continental trophies with the Conference League. He becomes one of the few players to have lifted the Champions League, the Europa League, the Conference League, and the European Championship. An impressive record for a man with an extraordinary career.

Brazilian at heart, Italian in spirit, and European by adoption, Emerson Palmieri embodies what is most universal about football: the journey, adaptation, and passion.

Welcome to Marseille, Emerson!