OM transfer window: Emerson Palmieri, the experienced option who can shore up our left flank!

We all know it, the left flank has become a real headache since Quentin Merlin’s move to Rennes. Murillo forced to fill in on the left at Rennes, Garcia having to hold the fort against Paris FC… we’re making do, gritting our teeth, but it can’t last. OM needed a true specialist, an experienced player capable of locking down that side and adding some link-up play.

Two options, an obvious choice

The recruitment department had shortlisted two profiles: Tsimikas (Liverpool) on a possible loan, and Emerson Palmieri (West Ham). And guess what? The latter has pulled ahead. At 31, the Italo-Brazilian knows the Premier League (113 games), Serie A, Ligue 1 (OL in 2021–22), and even the big European nights. His résumé is heavyweight: Euro 2020 winner with Italy, Europa League with Chelsea (2019), Champions League (2021), UEFA Super Cup, and more recently the Europa Conference League with West Ham (2023). Not bad for a player in search of one last big challenge.

Why Palmieri fits OM

Quick, a good tackler, but above all blessed with real passing quality, Emerson fits Roberto De Zerbi’s project to a tee. In a system built on possession and short combinations, he can keep things safe at the back while releasing Igor Paixão effectively ahead of him. What’s more, language won’t be a barrier: as a native Portuguese speaker, he can immediately build a connection with our Brazilian.

A shrewd piece of business

And the best part? West Ham, who no longer count on him, should accept a termination or a cut-price exit. That would let OM pull off a smart deal while keeping room for other reinforcements (Ceballos, Ordoñez, Zhegrova…). With his experience, complete profile and European pedigree, Emerson arrives as a durable, reassuring solution on the left flank.

The finishing touch to an ambitious transfer window?

We’ve already seen established players arrive (Medina, Aubameyang, Gomes, Weah…). Adding Palmieri sends a message: OM want a balanced side, capable of thrilling in Ligue 1 as well as in the Champions League. And you, friends, do you see him as a simple stopgap or as the signing we were missing to lock down the left side?