Manchester United are reportedly set to battle Chelsea in the pursuit of Italian prodigy Pietro Pellegri, who currently plays for Serie A club Genoa
According to The Sun, Manchester United have joined Chelsea in the chase for Italian prodigy Pietro Pellegri. The Genoa forward has been grabbing the headlines recently and his displays seem to have already started drawing the attention of top European clubs, with Juventus also taking a keen interest in the youngster’s talent.
Pietro Pellegri has been a Genoa player all throughout his footballing journey from a boy to a full-fledged senior footballer. The 16-year-old has really taken the Serie A by storm. The talented striker had already made history with a league debut last season at the mere age of 15, also notching up a goal in the 3 appearances he was afforded.
This season though, the player looks set to excite the Genoa fans even more. The youngster came on against Lazio in the 33rd minute for the injured Ricardo Centurion and mesmerised everyone with his talent. The performance against Lazio got everyone to sit up and take note of the talent.
Pietro Pellegri:
1st player born in 2001 ever to score in Serie A ✅
1st player born in 2001 to score a brace in a single Serie A game ✅ pic.twitter.com/iUR6oz5zrc— FootballTalentScout (@FTalentScout) September 17, 2017
Two goals in 57 minutes of on-field action, Pellegri has begun drawing attention from the likes of Chelsea and Juventus. And, according to the latest reports, Manchester United have joined the race as well.
Chelsea’s interest in the player seems logical from the fact that the Blues have always looked to recruit the best young talents in world football. Also, Pellegri, with his tall built at 6’2 has been likened to legend Christian Vieri as well as former Chelsea ace Pierluigi Casiraghi.
According to the report, Manchester United have also started taking note of the 16-year-old. But, they are set to take a more proactive approach, viewing the player as a potential addition to the first-team. However, the Red Devils will likely pursue the player only next season.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is unlikely to stay beyond the current season, which will see Jose Mourinho’s side have two strikers – Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford in the squad. The club would need a rotational player, which is where Pellegri can be brought in.
While Pellegri wont be on the receiving end of regular minutes like at Genoa, he will definitely be able to notch up some game time at Old Trafford while also being able to train with state-of-the-art facilities and world class players on a regular basis. Conte’s Italian connections, though, may tip the balance in Chelsea’s favour.
Genoa too, are unlikely to listen to any offers for the player before the end of the season, if at all. After losing Giovanni Simeone to Fiorentina in the summer, Pellegri has become their new young hope upfront. And the Italian outfit will hope Pellegri can fire the side to survival in the Serie A this season.
The Serie A club have slapped a staggering £40 million price tag on Pellegri to ward off suitors. Juventus are unlikely to pay astronomically for the player but Manchester United and Chelsea may decide to come in after an extended period of monitoring the player’s progress.
Pellegri is sure to gain followers and admirers as the season continues. One would not be surprised to see the player being in the midst of a huge transfer battle in the summer of 2018 if he does kick on and produces a brilliant season. And his father Marco Pellegri, also the assistant manager at Genoa, will make sure he remains grounded through all the admiration and praise.
