that was quick. Aston Villa It appears that the first attempt to get Emerson Royal back into the Premier League lasted just a few hours.
Earlier today, we covered that An offer of €9m (£7.7m) was submitted from Unai Emery For the former Tottenham defender. It was a figure that exactly matched what Flamengo paid Milan to sign the right-back in 2025, and seemed enough to at least start serious talks.
Now the latest reports from Brazil indicate that Flamengo have already rejected Aston Villa's opening offer, although the story does not end there.
Journalist bruno lemos The Brazilian club have reportedly rejected Villa's first bid, but talks remain active between the two parties. In other words, Flamengo has not closed the door. All he has told Villa is that they have to perform better.
Flamengo feel Aston Villa have proved their point
It appears that rejection is as much about value as anything else.
According to a club insider red-black paparazzoThe feeling within Flamengo is that Aston Villa's interest only strengthens Emerson Royal's market position.
The thinking is simple: if a wealthy Premier League club and recent continental trophy winner sees him as a priority target, his value is probably higher than the first offer.
That assessment is being reinforced by another concern.
Club officials reportedly believe that selling Emerson Royal would solve a difficult problem for Flamengo. Internally, the fear is that any replacement available now will represent a drop in quality.
Given the lack of elite right-backs on the market, the Brazilian side are reluctant to commit money until the numbers become impossible to ignore.
Villa may have to pay Premier League premium
There is also an interesting financial aspect to Flamengo's thinking. The report suggests that club officials believe €9m (£7.7m) is a significant amount of money. However, they also point out that the transfer fee is usually paid in instalments.
From their perspective, spending heavily on replacement after receiving that fee does not necessarily leave them in a stronger position. That's why the club is proceeding with caution.
Flamengo are not desperate to sell, they do not believe finding a replacement will be easy, and they see Aston Villa's interest as evidence that Emerson Royal is worth more than the initial offer.
Villa has made the first move. Flamengo has rejected it. speaking terms. And if Emery really wants the former Tottenham man, the next offer may need to look considerably more concrete.
