Crystal Palace have made a late attempt to muscle their way into the race for Parma striker Mateo Pellegrino, with the Premier League club exploring the possibility of hijacking Juventus’ proposed move for the highly-rated forward.
The Eagles are continuing to strengthen Pierre Sage’s squad ahead of the new Premier League season and have been active in the market in recent weeks. While Palace have already secured several key additions, recruitment chiefs remain determined to add further firepower in attack, identifying Pellegrino as a player capable of offering both immediate competition and long-term potential.
The 24-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign with Parma, attracting interest from a number of clubs across Europe after establishing himself as one of Serie A’s emerging centre-forwards. His combination of physical presence, intelligent movement and clinical finishing has not gone unnoticed, with Juventus moving quickly to position themselves at the front of the queue.
However, Palace have refused to walk away without making their own push.
Club officials have explored the conditions of a possible deal in an effort to test whether the striker could be persuaded to swap Serie A for the Premier League. The South London side believe Pellegrino possesses the attributes needed to adapt to English football and see him as a player capable of developing into an important figure under Sage.
Despite Palace’s interest, the situation remains far from straightforward.
Early indications suggest Pellegrino still favours a move to Juventus, with the Italian giants continuing to hold the strongest position in negotiations. Remaining in Serie A, while joining one of the country’s biggest clubs, is understood to be the player’s preferred option at this stage.
The structure of any potential transfer also presents another obstacle.
Negotiations are complicated by sell-on percentage clauses attached to the striker, meaning any agreement requires careful discussions between all parties involved. Those clauses have added another layer to an already delicate transfer process, making it more difficult for rival clubs to intervene at this point.
That has not stopped Palace from monitoring developments closely.
The Eagles are expected to keep communication channels open should circumstances change, although there is currently no indication that Juventus have stepped away from their pursuit. Unless the situation shifts significantly, the Turin club remain in pole position to complete the signing.
Palace’s interest underlines the club’s ambition during this transfer window. Rather than limiting themselves to domestic targets, the recruitment department has continued to scan Europe’s leading leagues for players capable of improving the squad.
Whether that ambition results in Pellegrino arriving at Selhurst Park remains to be seen. For now, Juventus remain favourites, the player appears to favour the move, and Palace face an uphill battle to pull off one of the window’s more eye-catching transfer hijacks.
