West Ham United are reportedly in talks to sign AS Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini as Guido Rodriguez's replacement.
Italian outlet Romanews reports that negotiations are underway between the Hammers and I Giallorossi over a potential deal for Pellegrini. It is said that the player could leave for free, allowing the Serie A club to remove him from their wage bill.
The 29-year-old is one of Roma's highest earners, earning around £6m (€7m) per year. His sale will allow the Italians to rebuild their squad, and he'd bring plenty of experience with him to the London Stadium.
West Ham Hold Talks For Pellegrini Dubbed Lampard 2.0
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Pellegrini appears to be Graham Potter's ideal candidate to replace Rodriguez, whose days at the club are numbered. The Argentine has struggled since arriving last summer and is wanted by former club Real Betis, their fellow Spanish side Valencia, and Brazilian outfit Gremio.
Rodriguez is also on the radar of Turkish duo Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce amid a disastrous spell in East London. The 31-year-old was left on Potter's bench in each of the Irons' last six of nine league matches.
Should West Ham sign Pellegrini, they'd be bringing a 36-cap Italy international to the English capital and a player who has captained his club since 2021. His goalscoring prowess has earned comparisons to the Premier League's highest-scoring midfielder, Frank Lampard.
Former Roma manager Claudio Ranieri said last season that he's had "two amazing goalscoring midfielders" during his career. "One is [Frank] Lampard and the other is Pellegrini". He's not the only coach to wax lyrical about the player, as Ivan Juric said he moves "like a god".
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Pellegrini has managed 45 goals and 47 assists in 276 Serie A games during his career, excelling in the midfield. He was a key man in Jose Mourinho's Europa Conference League-winning side, lifting the trophy a year before West Ham.
Last season, the East Londoners were a far cry from that team that starred under David Moyes, finishing 14th in the league. Midfield was an issue for Potter, and he'll likely see the "outstanding" Pellegrini as a player who can give his side more dominance in the middle of the park.
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