Everton have been touted as potential suitors for Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini, with him available for €30m this summer.
The Blues are expected to have a busy summer after Carlo Ancelotti was promised funds to overhaul the squad in his image.
While he and Marcel Brands have insisted it will be a case of a couple of signings rather than complete reinvention, some areas need addressing and central midfield is one of them.
The position has been a problem one since Idrissa Gana Gueye left for Paris Saint Germain last summer and adding quality in that area remains a priority for the club.
Numerous players have been suggested as targets and the latest to add to the list if Roma’s Pellegrini if CalcioMercato are to be believed.
They report that the midfielder is yet to sit down with the club and discuss a new contract, despite his current deal having two years left to run.
That means Roma wouldn’t be protected from offers from clubs like Inter or Everton’ who would be able to sign ‘one of the best’ Italian talents for €30m.
They state that any move would require Pellegrini giving his approval, which may prove difficult as he is ‘very attached’ to Roma and could say no to offers, as he did last summer.
Nonetheless, the interest is there from Everton, and it’s a signing that would make plenty of sense for them.
As well as Pellegrini being an improvement in a weak area for them, at 23 he fits into the model Ancelotti and Brands are trying to implement; that is, signing young players who can be developed rather than already established stars.
Likewise, at €30m he would be well within their price range, although it seems a fair amount of persuasion would be needed to get a deal over the line.
