Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are reportedly in a three-way tussle to sign Lorenzo Pellegrini from AS Roma.
According to a report by Daily Mirror, Lorenzo Pellegrini is set to be the subject of a transfer scramble in the Premier League. Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are interested in signing the AS Roma midfielder, who has a £21 million buy-out clause in his contract.
Pellegrini progressed through the ranks at Roma before breaking into the first-team setup in 2015. But, he was later shipped to Sassuolo in the subsequent summer transfer window, where the player made such rapid strides that he is now regarded as one of the players to herald a bright future for Italian football.
Last summer, Roma took note of his progress and decided to bring Pellegrini back to Stadio Olimpico. And the move has been a productive one. The player has established himself as a regular for the Giallorossi, featuring 21 times for them, while also contributing to the team’s cause with two goals and three assists.
Man United, City and Chelsea battle it out for Pellegrini: Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are all in the race to sign Roma and Italy midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini for just £21million. https://t.co/NSMdVQUWVj pic.twitter.com/fvDrTp3nMq
— MCFC_MP (@MCFC_MP) January 9, 2018
But, his exploits have caught the eye once again, which could mean that his second coming at Roma could soon come to an end. Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have monitored the player’s progress this season, and are set to make a move for him.
Chelsea’s interest in Pellegrini does come as a bit of a surprise, having only signed Ross Barkley a few days ago. And despite a slow start for Tiemoue Bakayoko, Antonio Conte still has Danny Drinkwater, Cesc Fabregas, N’Golo Kante and Ross Barkley at his disposal. But, Pellegrini, with his technical abilities will certainly be a fine addition for Chelsea.
Manchester United, on the other hand, are in desperate need of some reinforcements in midfield, with Michael Carrick approaching the end of his career and Marouane Fellaini likely to depart, either this month or in the summer. Pellegrini is, thus, a viable target for the Red Devils.
Manchester City, meanwhile, could be eyeing the Italy international as a long-term replacement for David Silva. A triad of Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Pellegrini could go on to serve the Citizens for years.
Chelsea, Manchester United and City have also been buoyed by the player’s £21 million buyout clause in his Roma contract, which is not a sizeable figure considering the current state of the transfer market. Roma, though, are desperate to keep hold of Pellegrini, and it remains to be seen if he ends up making his way to England anytime soon.
