Lorenzo Pellegrini (Getty Images)
As per Calciomercato (h/t Liverpool Echo), Everton are keen on signing AS Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini in the summer.
Pellegrini, 23, came through the ranks of Roma’s youth system but initially struggled to break through into the club’s senior team. His move to Sassuolo in 2015 helped him regain confidence as he was a regular member of the squad before returning to Rome two summers later.
Despite facing injury issues, he established himself in the club’s starting XI and helped the club qualify for the Champions League at the end of the 2017/18 season with a 3rd-place finish. He has been key to Roma’s success in the past few years and is an integral part of the squad under Paulo Fonseca.
Meanwhile, Everton have endured a mixed season so far despite the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti. After failing to do well under Marco Silva, the Toffees were off to a flying start under the Italian tactician.
As games went by, Ancelotti’s side moved higher up in the table but their results in the last few games hae been disappointing. After failing to win any of their last three league games, the Toffees are currently 12th in the league table.
The manager has sorted some of the issues in the attack and defence in recent weeks. Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have been the leaders up front while Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate have done a decent job in the heart of the defence.
However, Ancelotti is yet to find the best midfield pair, with Tom Davies, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fabian Delph not up to the mark. Portuguese international Andre Gomes was out of cation for the majority of the season and therefore, the manager needs to add depth to the squad by bringing in young and energetic reinforcements.
In that case, Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini would be a good choice for the Toffees as he is one of the rising stars in Italian football.
The 23-year-old has featured in 24 games across all competitions this term, contributing with 3 goals and 11 assists despite featuring in a deep-lying role at times. He could be a good addition to Everton given his abilities and his rise in form.
Pellegrini is capable of operating either in an anchoring role or in an advanced position. He is a box-to-box midfielder who can also bang in goals for his side. He has been scoring at a decent rate in the past few years and could be helpful for the Toffees if he scores the much-needed extra goals.
Everton’s inconsistency in the midfield has been one of the main reasons for their poor performance at the start of the season. And Jean-Phillipe Gbamin hasn’t featured beyond 2 games for the club, making it a huge loss for the club. Therefore, adding depth in the midfield area should be the manager’s priority.
Hence, the Toffees should make a move for Pellegrini in the summer and lure him to Goodison Park at the earliest.
