FC Barcelona sign Emerson

FC Barcelona have informed Real Betis Balompié that they are exercising their right to bring back Emerson Royal from 1 July after two seasons on loan at the Andalusian club. 

Threat down the right 

Born in São Paulo, Brazil on 14 January 1999, Emerson Aparecido Leite de Souza Junior, better known as Emerson Royal, is an attacking right back who will be involved in the upcoming Copa América with the Brazilian national team. 

The defender will bring pace and an attacking dimension to the right wing as the Brazilian has scored five goals and created 10 assists with Betis, the club at which he he has played since a three way agreement was reaching involving Atletico Mineiro in January 2019. 

Before joining Betis, Emerson Royal spent time playing for Ponte Preta and then Atletico Mineiro back in his native Brazil. He made his Brazilian league debut in the Paulista championship in February 2017 before joining Atletico the following year where he began to attract interest from clubs in Europe.

A fixture in the Betis side 

Once at Betis Emerson became a fixture in the side and made 79 appearances in two and a half seasons at the Seville club. Last season he helped the team coached by Manuel Pellegrini to a sixth place finish in La Liga and a place in the Europa League for next season. The Brazilian played a total of 3,186 minutes for Betis last season, more than any other player at the club.

Over the last two seasons only Barça's Jordi Alba, Sevilla's Jesús Navas and Atlético Madrid's Kieran Trippier have provided more assists than Emerson's 10 as a defender. 

With the Brazilian national side he has been an ever present since U-20 level and he made his debut for the full national team in November 2019 in a friendly against South Korea. This summer he could take part in his first Copa América.