Published Jul 22, 2026, 7:28 PM GMT+1

Emilio is an experienced football journalist who has worked at Football FanCast for over six years.

After graduating with first-class honours from the University of Central Lancashire in 2019, it didn't take long for Emilio to clinch his first job in journalism at Snack Media, now Valnet.

Emilio has written for a host of the company's biggest past and current football news websites - Vital Football, The Transfer Tavern and Football FanCast. 

Emilio's strengths include the intricacies of football transfers, while he particularly enjoys writing about the business side of football. He has covered Tottenham Hotspur on a weekly basis for a number of years now, developing a deep understanding of the culture and what Lilywhites fans engage with.

In his spare time, you can find Emilio travelling the world, or even in a boxing ring.

Roma looked to have built real momentum after submitting a series of improved offers and holding positive discussions with both West Ham and the player.

Romano, Gianluca Di Marzio and Matteo Moretto all reported that the Serie A club were pushing hard to complete what would have been one of the biggest deals in their recent history.

Gian Piero Gasperini was understood to be a driving force behind the move, believing Summerville possessed the pace and directness to thrive in his attacking system.

Al-Hilal, however, changed the picture dramatically.

The Saudi Pro League side entered negotiations late but quickly demonstrated their financial power by offering significantly improved terms to both West Ham and Summerville.

Roma refused to become involved in a bidding war, remaining committed to their valuation despite having already invested considerable effort into the negotiations.

Reports throughout the week suggested the decision would ultimately rest with Summerville himself after both clubs had presented their proposals.

For West Ham, it represented an ideal situation.

Interest from multiple clubs strengthened their negotiating position and allowed the Hammers to maximise the value of one of their most valuable attackers after his very impressive campaign.

According to Romano, that transfer battle has now reached its conclusion.

Al-Hilal win race for Crysencio Summerville with West Ham deal fully agreed

Romano reports that Summerville has given Al-Hilal the green light after a frantic final 48 hours in which Roma continued fighting to secure his signature until the very end.

West Ham are set to receive a guaranteed £55 million, with a further £10 million available through performance-related add-ons once the transfer is complete.

A medical has now been authorised following a verbal agreement between all parties, and it is another significant piece of business for West Ham after selling Mateus Fernandes for £85m.

The fee represents an excellent return and provides the club with substantial funds to reinvest as they continue rebuilding their squad ahead of the new season.

Few clubs would ignore an offer of this size, particularly when it arrives for a player attracting widespread interest across Europe.

From a football perspective, though, replacing Summerville will not be easy.

His ability to eliminate defenders, create chances and inject pace into attacks made him one of West Ham's most dangerous players last term, and those qualities are difficult to replace, regardless of the transfer budget available.

Overall, this feels like one of those deals that can suit everyone involved.

West Ham secure an outstanding financial package, Al-Hilal land an exciting wide man and Summerville receives a lucrative new challenge.

The difficult part now falls to West Ham's recruitment team, who must ensure the sizeable transfer windfall is invested wisely to soften the loss of such an influential forward.