West Ham United battle Fulham to secure signing of Luca Pellegrini
West Ham are still in the hunt to sign Luca Pellegrini, as reported by Calciomercato.
The Italian website reported on 11 July that the Hammers are set to battle with London rivals Fulham to sign the 23-year-old left-back this summer.
The report adds that either of the two clubs could be the next destination for the defender.
Left-back needed
Pellegrini is seemingly out of favour at Juventus, and he is further expected to drop down the pecking order after the arrival of Andrea Cambiasso.
The Hammers can tempt with European football, and David Moyes desperately needs to add a left-back.
Gazzetta Dello Sport reported on 19 June about West Ham’s interest in the player where it was suggested that The Old Lady could ask for a fee of at least £8.6million for the left-back.
If West Ham can avoid a bidding war, they should be looking to reduce the asking price a bit. Juventus are open to selling him, so a deal can be struck here.
Aaron Cresswell is the first-choice left-back at the club but Moyes needs to add an upgrade over him.
The veteran defender proved to be error-prone in big games last season, although he did well in patches.
West Ham need a more mobile defender down the left, and Pellegrini would be a superb addition.
Arthur Masuaku remains another option, but he is likely to be sold. The price quoted for Pellegrini is well within the Hammers’ budget, and they should be able to pull off the deal if they really want to.