Why Manchester United Should Sign Pietro Pellegri From Genoa
It is not often that a young player is likened to the great Zlatan Ibrahimovic but such has been Pietro Pellegri’s impact in Italy that all those who have seen him play are saying that the comparisons with the Swede are absolutely spot on. The 16-year-old grabbed the spotlight after he scored a brace against SS Lazio at the end of last season and has consistently delivered so far this campaign.
Featuring for Serie A Club Genoa, the Italian youngster has already netted 2 goals in just 3 appearances this season. As such, big European clubs like AC Milan, Juventus, PSG, Chelsea and Manchester United have all reached out to his agent in order to lure him away.
Capable of playing as a striker or as a right winger, Pellegri has also excelled on the international stage, scoring 9 goals in 22 appearances for the Italian Under-15 and Under-17 teams in the last term. Blessed with great pace and an exceptional physique, the starlet has grabbed a lot of eyeballs and it seems like his current club is ready to cash in on him at the right price.
Under such circumstances, it would make sense for Manchester United to procure the signature of Pellegri. An offer of £35m to £40m is what it would take to secure his services according to the reports and that amount could look like peanuts in the years to come. With Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial capable of playing on the wings, Pellegri could play as the perfect foil for Romelu Lukaku, who has been scoring goals for fun so far this season.
The young gun is the kind of striker every Jose Mourinho team has: well-built, fast and capable of holding the ball and bringing other players into play. Of course, he would have to be eased into the English Premier League but given that he can only be signed in January, which is when Zlatan Ibrahimovic is slated to return from his ligament injury, that should not be a problem.
Although the amount may seem too hefty now, it would be a wise investment by Ed Woodward and the United board to rope the forward as soon as they can. He could be the fulcrum of a potential front three that would also include Rashford and Martial, who would rule the game for years to come. The club’s scouts should start assessing Pellegri, as it would be a major miss for them if he ends up moving to some other club.