West Ham United have reportedly shown an interest in signing Italian full-back Luca Pellegrini who has fallen down the pecking order at Juventus.
According to a report from Italian publication Calciomercato, West Ham United are among the clubs monitoring the situation of Juventus left-back Luca Pellegrini who will be made available for a transfer in the January window.
Pellegrini came through the youth ranks at AS Roma but managed just six first-team appearances before signing for Juventus in 2019. He was immediately sent out on loan to Cagliari for the 2019/20 campaign following which the 22-year-old spent the previous season on loan at Genoa, where he hardly featured due to injury issues.
After just 12 appearances in the last season, Pellegrini is now back at Juventus but finds himself out of favour with the Turin giants. Indeed, the likes of Alex Sandro, Mattia De Sciglio are ahead of him in the pecking order as things stand, with the Italian making just one appearance so far this term.
Considering his unfavourable situation at the Allianz Stadium, the report claims that Pellegrini will likely be allowed to leave during the mid-season trading period in January. And, it seems like West Ham United are considering making a swoop for the one-time capped Italian international.
West Ham United had a largely quiet summer transfer window and are looking to add to their squad in the winter, considering their involvement in domestic and European competitions. A new left-back, however, is unlikely to be high on the agenda for manager David Moyes.
Indeed, the Hammers already have the consistent and reliable Aaron Cresswell as first-choice on the left side of the defence while Arthur Masuaku is available as backup for the Englishman. Furthermore, young Ben Johnson can also play in the position if need be, making the interest in Pellegrini somewhat questionable.
But, if one considers Masuaku’s injury record and Cresswell’s advancing age and expiring contract in 2023, the 22-year-old Juventus ace could be potentially viewed as a long-term acquisition for the east London giants with an eye on the future. However, they are not the only club interested in him, with Serie A side Sampdoria also eyeing a swoop for the Italian.
As things stand, Pellegrini’s days in Juventus look numbered and it will be interesting to see if there is genuine interest from West Ham’s end in the 22-year-old.
