According to the Gazzetta Dello Sport, as cited by Sport Witness, Tottenham Hotspur have expressed interest in the services of Lorenzo Pellegrini. However, it is believed that they could face stiff competition from their league rivals Manchester United while Juventus and Inter Milan are also interested. Pellegrini’s current contract at AS Roma expires in 2022, and the midfielder reportedly has a release clause of €30m.
Pellegrini’s rise to prominence
Since his return to Roma back in 2017, Pellegrini has gained a lot of recognition in the first-team. Although the midfielder hasn’t exactly been a first-team regular for the Giallorossi, he has now notched up 80 competitive appearances for the club.
This season, in particular, Pellegrini has made seven league appearances, during which he has registered five assists. His presence in the side has aided manager Paulo Fonseca, who has had to deal with injuries to several star players including Javier Pastore, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Cengiz Under.
So essentially, Pellegrini has emerged as a creator-in-chief for Roma. But at the same time, the 23-year-old would love to earn a more prominent role in the side, which is now unlikely following the return of Mkhitaryan and Under. Hence, a move away from Stadio Olimpico might not be a bad idea.
What can he bring to the table?
A central midfielder by trade, Pellegrini is known for his ability to provide the creative essence in the final third. He is excellent when it comes to taking set-pieces while he can also march forward and find useful passes in and around the attacking half. The midfielder has notably averaged an impressive 3.3 key passes per game this season.
Apart from his creativity, Pellegrini can offer defensive support as well. He has attempted 2.1 tackles per game while his tally of one interception isn’t bad at all. Moreover, he has completed 1.6 dribbles per game with a success rate of 69%, which indicates his ability to work around tight spaces (stats via whoscored).
Is Pellegrini a viable option for Spurs?
Pellegrini’s potential addition to Spurs will only make sense if Jose Mourinho decides to axe Harry Winks from his plans. The young English international has struggled against the high pressing opponents, and it won’t be surprising to see if his overall game-time decreases under the Portuguese mastermind.
Pellegrini, therefore, is indeed a viable target for the Lilywhites. He can get forward and provide the creative support that could help Spurs, especially if they decide to offload Christian Eriksen in January. But most importantly, the Italian can also track back and provide cover for the backline. And for a fee of just €30m, Pellegrini could very well turn out to be a bargain.
