Tottenham are keen to add a creative midfielder to their ranks this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur suffered a cruel blow last summer when James Maddison sustained an ACL injury in pre-season tour of Asia. To make matters worse, Maddison’s fellow creative midfield partner, Dejan Kulusevski, was also out after undergoing patella surgery.
This forced the N17 bosses to dip in the market for creative midfield reinforcements, and after missing out on the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, Spurs had to settle for Xavi Simons. The Dutchman’s underwhelming debut season in North London was prematurely ended by an ACL injury, which means he is unlikely to return to action in 2026.
Tottenham have been trying hard to sign a new No.10 this summer. There have been many players who have been linked with the club who can play in the attacking midfield position. One of the latest names to have been added to the list is AS Roma star Lorenzo Pellegrini.
Tottenham keen on AS Roma vice-captain Lorenzo Pellegrini
Lorenzo Pellegrini has been a cultured attacking midfielder, consistently producing the goods for AS Roma across nine consecutive seasons. The Italian international has racked up 62 goals and 63 assists in 349 appearances for AS Roma, making him a certified club great.
It is worth noting that the 29-year-old’s contract with the Giallorossi is expiring at the end of June, and he will be eligible to sign for any club on a free transfer. This has led to Tottenham reviving their interest in Pellegrini, whilst Juventus are also tracking his situation in Rome. Unsurprisingly, Pellegrini wants to extend his stay at Roma, but one club may be able to tempt him to quit his boyhood club.
According to Italian journalist Enrico Camelio on X, ‘only Tottenham might convince’ Pellegrini to sever ties with Roma after nine successive campaigns.
The Italian playmaker is very experienced. He would add something unique to De Zerbi’s team in terms of creativity and ball retention. The Roma vice-captain has a flair and quality on the ball that allows him to excel at playing in between the lines. Not afraid of operating in tight spaces, Pellegrini not only can pick a pass out for a teammate, but can also come up with great finishes from outside the box. In addition, he is also a leader and a spot-kick expert.
Ultimately, it could all come down to what Pellegrini actually wants. While there’s a desire to continue at the Stadio Olimpico, De Zerbi has to be on the phone to convince Pellegrini to join Spurs if he feels the ex-Sassuolo man will suit well in his system.