West Ham United are leading the race to sign Juventus full-back Luca Pellegrini, according to a report from Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness).
The lowdown: Rise to stardom
Formerly a member of AS Roma’s youth system, Pellegrini made a £19.8m switch to Juventus in 2019 and has spent time on loan at Cagliari and Genoa in his fledgling career.
The 23-year-old has only made 21 appearances for the Bianconeri’s senior team, and as such, a move away could be on the horizon in the not-too-distant future.
Set to return to Juve for pre-season following his most recent spell away from Turin, Pellegrini is already being touted with a Premier League move next…
The latest: West Ham keen on Pellegrini
As per Corriere dello Sport, transcribed by Sport Witness, the one-cap Italy international is being ‘followed by West Ham’ this summer.
It’s claimed that the east Londoners and newly-promoted Fulham have shown an interest in acquiring the left-back’s services, but it is the Hammers who are currently ‘in pole’ for the capture.
Whilst this report makes no mention of a potential transfer fee, it has previously been mooted that the man hailed as a ‘really good talent’ by journalist Arjun Pradeep could cost in the region of €10m-€12m (£8m-£10m).
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The verdict: Shrewd move
At the suggested asking price, signing a player of Pellegrini’s calibre as an understudy to Aaron Cresswell initially would be a sensational piece of business from the London Stadium hierarchy.
Capable of playing as a conventional full-back and in more advanced positions, the Italian certainly shares a similar lust for getting forward as the Irons stalwart and would therefore act as a ready-made replacement for the 32-year-old when the time comes for the latter to depart the scene.
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Boasting impressive dribbling and passing attributes (WhoScored), Pellegrini would need to hone his defensive skills under the tutelage of the evergreen Hammers left-back prior to becoming a regular in David Moyes’ side.
However, at his young age and with Cresswell still an established operator, there is no need for an immediate overhaul at left-back despite West Ham’s prolonged pursuit of a fresh face in that position.
