West Ham eye £26m+ deal for Argentine striker who Hernan Crespo loves
West Ham are tracking a deal for Mateo Pellegrino, who has impressed for Parma in the Serie A.
The Hammers are in need of a striker with Niclas Fullkrug expected to leave the London Stadium in January.
Nuno Espirito Santo is aiming to keep West Ham in the Premier League, and knows how important an incoming striker could be in the winter window.
One player who is being tracked is Pellegrino, who has netted seven goals so far this season in all competitions.
However, West Ham will face massive competition for his signature.
Parma set to demand over £26m for Mateo Pellegrino
Pellegrino is seen as a great upcoming talent in the Serie A.
The 24-year-old joined Parma in February 2025 and has got off to a solid start so far this season. Born in Spain, the attacker has chose to represent Argentina to date.
When discussing the striker on La Gazzetta dello Sport via sportal.eu on 3 October, legend Hernan Crespo stated that the striker was “hungry”, which is the “best endowment of a striker”.
- Pellegrino joined Parma in February 2025
- The striker has continued to find the net in Italy
- As a result, multiple teams are keen on his services
Now, according to a report from Calico Mercato on 3 December, the Hammers are one of multiple clubs interested in the attacker.
Last summer, Parma received a £13.11milliom offer from a Premier League side that was swiftly rejected.
It is said that the Serie A club would want at least double this, and it would take a huge offer for them to part with the striker in the winter window.
Apart from West Ham, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal, Tottenham, and Nottingham Forest are all tracking Pellegrino, while Roma and AC Milan are also interested.
What are Pellegrino’s key strengths?
According to Fotmob on 4 December, Pellegrino has multiple strengths.
Most notably, he is great at winning aerial duels, 4.64 a match. On top of this, he is a competent dribbler, with a 63.4 per cent success rate.
| Mateo Pellegrino stats in the Serie A this season | Per 90 minutes |
| Goals | 0.33 |
| xG | 0.22 |
| Dribble success rate | 64.3% |
| Fouls won | 2.28 |
| Aerial duels won | 4.64 |
Overall, the striker looks more like a traditional Nuno forward compared to the likes of Callum Wilson.
However, it remains to be seen if the Hammers make an official move for the 24-year-old.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest West Ham United news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @westhamzone247