In a recent print edition, Corriere dello Sport revealed that Liverpool have launched a £25.8m bid for AS Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini. It has been reported that the Reds head coach Jurgen Klopp is looking to replace Georginio Wijnaldum and has identified the Italian midfielder as an ideal option this summer (transcripted and translated by anfieldcentral.co.uk).
Pellegrini’s Impressive Season At The Stadio Olympico
Pellegrini has experienced a fruitful season in Italian football as he established himself as a top performer at the heart of the Roma midfield. The 24-year-old has banged in 11 goals and secured nine assists in 47 matches for the Italian outfit last season across various competitions.
The Roma-born sensation has given a good account of himself by averaging 1.2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 0.6 clearances, 2.1 shots, 1.9 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game in the recently concluded Serie A campaign. Pellegrini has even been careful with his ball distribution after completing 82% of his attempted passes in the Italian first division (stats via whoscored).
The way the Italian talent has been playing this season, it is no surprise that a top club like Liverpool have already launched a move to bring him to Anfield in this off-season.
Is Pellegrini The Right Choice For The Reds?
Pellegrini boasts decent pace under his belt and can make some encouraging runs with the ball from midfield. He can get into some promising areas in and around the opponent’s penalty box and can strike the ball with power from long range.
The 17-time Italy international possesses a wide range of passes in his locker and has got the eye to cut open the opposition defence with a decisive through ball in the final third. Pellegrini has added plenty of goals and assists to his game which makes him a good fit for Jurgen Klopp’s side this summer.
The Italian midfield ace will undoubtedly inject a lot of quality to Liverpool’s midfield department and would offer some serious competition for Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho for a place in Klopp’s first-team week in week out in the upcoming campaign. At 24, Pellegrini has the room to grow into a world-class midfielder, so Klopp will do well to lure him to Anfield before the start of the new season.
Pellegrini’s incredible productivity as a box-to-box midfielder makes him a decent choice for the Merseyside outfit as they have often lacked goals and creativity from their midfielders last season. Furthermore, the Roma captain will serve as a decent replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum, who is set to join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer this summer.
