Lorenzo Pellegrini will reject the chance to join Everton in order to stay at Roma for at least another season. At least, that is what Giallorossi sporting director Gianluca Petrachi has predicted in conversation with Sky Italia.
It’s not every day you can sign one of the top young midfielders in Europe for less than Peterborough United are demanding for Ivan Toney.
But, as Corriere dello Sport points out, Pellegrini has a £31 million release clause in his Roma contract – and only £13 million needs to be paid up front with the rest of the fee due in a secondary installment next year.
No wonder Everton are interested, according to Calciomercato in March, with a man nicknamed ‘Totti’s heir’ at the Stadio Olimpico producing more ‘creative passes’ this season than Kevin de Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes.
An affordable release clause does not mean that Pellegrini is guaranteed to go, however.
While he might not spend his entire career in the Italian capital like the legendary Francesco Totti, the Rome-born academy graduate has shown little desire to turn his back on his boyhood club.
“Lorenzo has a release clause in his contract, but the decision is up to the boy,” Petrachi claims. “I have little doubt about his desire to stay.”
Pellegrini is one of a host of talented attacking midfielders who have been linked with Everton in recent months, alongside Luis Alberto, Everton Soares and more.
With 11 assists in just 24 games this season, Roma will be desperate to tie their star man down to a new contract – one which either increases that pesky release clause or abolishes it altogether.
Fortunately, Pellegrini appears to buy into the old adage that the grass is not always greener elsewhere.
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