PICTURES: Emerson Palmieri joins Chelsea from AS Roma | OneFootball

Chelsea have finally brought in competition for Marcos Alonso at left-back.

The player in question is Roma’s Brazil-born defender Emerson Palmieri.

The 23-year-old joins for a reported £17.5m plus £5.2m in add-ons.

As of yet there has been no official confirmation but pictures of Emerson posing with a Chelsea shirt have been leaked.

Chelsea had been hoping to sign Emerson’s Roma team-mate Edin Džeko but a deal for the striker fell apart.

Emerson has struggled for playing time this season as he works his way back from a long-term knee injury, with the form of former Manchester City star Aleksandar Kolarov holding the Brazil-born youngster out of the Roma team.

But he showed his quality last season, earning a call-up to the Italy team, and Chelsea are confident he can push Marcos Alonso at the left-back spot.

Chelsea have shown their faith in Emerson by giving him a four-and-a-half year deal.