Aston Villa and West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing 25-year-old Italian international Luca Pellegrini from Lazio in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by La Repubblica, as relayed by La Lazio Siamo Noi, Aston Villa and West Ham United are among the clubs interested in signing Luca Pellegrini in the summer transfer window. The two Premier League clubs have submitted enquiries for the Italian international, with Lazio rebuffing them.
Who is Luca Pellegrini?
Luca Pellegrini has struggled to stamp his authority throughout his professional career thus far. A native of Rome, he spent his formative years in the Italian capital, representing Cinecittà Bettini, Cisco Roma, and Nuova Tor Tre Teste before graduating from the youth division at AS Roma a few years ago.
The 25-year-old was among the best young prospects in his homeland during his youth career but has not translated that into sustained success on the senior level. Pellegrini has embarked on six loan spells in as many years, with Juventus permanently signing him from AS Roma in July 2019.
The Italian international has spent the last 18 months with Lazio and will continue on loan at Stadio Olimpico for another season. However, Pellegrini could not stamp his authority in the 2023/24 season, managing only 1,080 minutes of game time across 26 appearances. However, the player’s stock remains high in the market, with Aston Villa and West Ham United among his prospective suitors.
Premier League move on the horizon?
Aston Villa’s interest in Luca Pellegrini is surprising. The Villans are scouring the market for a left-back heading into the summer transfer window, with one of Alex Moreno and Lucas Digne likely to leave. However, Ian Maatsen will join Aston Villa in a few days, making the Pellegrini links dubious.
However, the 25-year-old Italian international is a viable target for West Ham United. The East London club might have tied Aaron Cresswell to a contract extension. However, Cresswell is in the twilight of his career, while Emerson Palmieri faces an uncertain future at the London Stadium. So, several candidates, including Sergio Gomez, have emerged on West Ham’s radar, with Pellegrini also an option worth considering.
Aston Villa and West Ham have submitted enquiries to sign the 25-year-old left-back. However, Lazio, who will complete a permanent move for Pellegrini next year due to a mandatory purchase clause, will not part ways with the player, with the Biancocelesti knocking the approaches back.
