Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Man Utd news: Lorenzo Pellegrini to join in January? ESPN pundit makes claim
MANCHESTER UNITED should NOT sign Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini - because he is not the answer to their problems.
That is the opinion of former Arsenal and England striker turned pundit Paul Mariner.
Pellegrini has been linked with a move to Manchester United in the last few days.
The 22-year-old Italy international came through the academy at Roma before leaving for Sassuolo in 2015.
Pellegrini rejoined Roma in 2017 and has been a regular in Serie A under head coach Eusebio Di Francesco, who also managed him at Sassuolo.
Is he the answer for Man United? Is he going to take Manchester United to where they need to go? I’m going to say no
Mariner is an admirer of the midfielder and reckons Roma should look to build their team around him going forward.
But he does not think Pellegrini is the right man to turn around the fortunes of United.
United are currently eighth in the Premier League table after losing four of their first 12 games of the season.
“Look, he’s a good player,” Mariner said of Pellegrini.
“He’s a young player, a very good player.
“We know that if the right money comes in at Rome then they are liable to sell.
“But personally if I’m in the Roma organisation I want to start building a team around this guy.
“He’s a very, very useful player, he’s a good player.
“Whether they would sell him, I’m not too sure.
“But is he the answer for Man United? Is he going to take Manchester United to where they need to go?
“I’m going to say no.”
Pellegrini is yet to score in the eight caps he has won for Italy.