Everton plot £27m swoop for Serie A star

by Lewis Blain lewisblainsport

2 minute read 18/5/2020 | 06:30pm

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti appears to be eyeing his first major splash as Toffees boss by landing a Serie A star this summer.

According to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, the Merseyside outfit are keen on paying the release clause of AS Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini, thought to be €30m (£27m) which would be paid in two installments.

#PSG and #Everton are interested in #Roma midfielder Lorenzo #Pellegrini. The two clubs are ready to pay his release clause (€30M payable in two installments of 15). #transfers #EFC

— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) May 17, 2020

And it could be an absolute bargain considering the £45m fee they paid for Gylfi Sigurdsson, who fans are quickly becoming disillusioned with after a string of poor performances as seen here.

Pellegrini has been likened to Roma legend Francesco Totti and is the sort of box-to-box midfielder that can grant Ancelotti’s engine room the ability to thrive – arguably the weakest position at the minute.

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N’Golo Kante from Caen to Leicester City, 2015

Sigurdsson, typically the number ten for the Toffees, has struggled this term after contributing to just three goals whilst also averaging 1.8 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per game as well as recording 1.3 unsuccessful touches, via WhoScored.

Pellegrini, on the other hand, has recorded numbers off the charts this season – the 23-year-old is managing a whopping 2.9 key passes, 2.7 shots, 1.3 dribbles and 1.1 tackles each match, proving he’s contributing just about everywhere on the pitch – and more so than the Icelandic international.

The Italian has also been lauded as a “strong character” who could one day hold the captain’s armband at the Serie A side just like one former predecessor, Totti.

Would you like to see Lorenzo Pellegrini sign this summer?

Absolutely!

No thanks!

Earlier this year, FootballBH waxed lyrical about the midfielder in a scout report whereby he was talked up to be one of the most creative players in Europe, being involved in a goal every 109 minutes.

By comparison, Sigurdsson is involved in a goal every 676 minutes – quite the contrast. Which is maybe why Everton have only scored 37 goals this campaign.

Pellegrini solves a lot of that.

AND in other news, Five players Everton must try to sign this summer…