Barcelona are interested in Lorenzo Pellegrini as a plan B in case they missed out on Georginio Wijnaldum, as likely. The Blaugrana seemed poised to land the former Liverpool midfielder on a free transfer, but the French club hijacked the deal at the last minute. They will turn the attention to the Roma star once that will be confirmed, AS reports.
Pellegrini is considered one of the building blocks of the upcoming José Mourinho era. However, he is not under contract long-term, as his deal expires in 2022. It also includes a manageable €30M clause payable in two yearly installments, Calciomercato.com indicates. Because of it, he has been linked to several top teams on multiple occasions in the past but always decided to stay in Rome. The Italian side has yet to start discussing an extension, Il Messaggero informs.
It remains to be seen whether Pellegrini would change his mind if Barcelona came knocking. The Catalan outfit is looking to add at least one midfielder and would give him a prominent role. On the other hand, the arrival of the Special One could represent an extra incentive to continue with the Giallorossi. In any case, the decision will arrive after Euro 2020.
Pellegrini is a product of the Roma youth system and has spent only two years away from the team at Sassuolo when he was younger. Over the last four seasons, he has amassed 21 goals and 34 assists in 152 appearances across all competitions, featuring as a box-to-box or attacking midfielder.