Royal previously spent three years in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur. Rodrigo Valle/Getty ImagesJune 23, 2026 12:51 pm EDT Updated Aston Villa are in talks to sign Flamengo full-back Emerson Royal.Villa are yet to submit a formal offer but have discussed the parameters of a deal. At this stage, Flamengo would be reluctant to sanction a sale of the former Tottenham Hotspur defender as the club’s other right-back, Guillermo Varela, is representing Uruguay at the World Cup. Flamengo are due to resume their Brazilian Serie A season on July 22, shortly after the tournament’s conclusion.The Athletic reported earlier this month that finding an alternative to Matty Cash at right-back is again a priority for Villa during the window.
Villa want someone to take the load off and provide competition for Cash, and Royal is considered a more affordable option as the club attempts to adhere to financial restrictions.Both deputy right-backs, Andres Garcia and Kosta Nedeljkovic, are expected to depart Villa this summer while young right-back Triston Rowe, 19, is likely to leave on loan once more, having spent last season on loan at Ligue 2 side Annecy.Royal, 27, joined Flamengo from Milan last summer. His contract with the Brazilian club runs until 2028.The 10-time Brazil international spent three years in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur, where he made 101 first-team appearances after joining from Barcelona in 2021.He departed Spurs for Milan in 2024 for an initial fee of €15million plus €3m in add-ons.
