Everton have expressed interest in signing highly rated Argentine centre-forward Mateo Pellegrino from Parma this summer, according to Sport Parma.
Pellegrino had spells with Valencia and Inter Milan youth sides before returning to Argentina to join Velez Sarsfield, where he made his mark.
He quickly returned to Europe in the 2025 winter transfer window and has established himself as one of the most exciting centre-forwards in the Italian league.
The recently concluded campaign saw the 24-year-old cement himself as Parma’s focal point forward, and he repaid the faith by netting nine goals in Serie A, the most by any member of the squad and six more than the second top scorer, Adrián Bernabé.
In all competitions, he went on to provide 13 goal contributions, which has now drawn keen attention from several clubs, particularly in the Premier League.
One of the clubs showing interest in Pellegrino is Everton, according to Sport Parma, which reports the Toffees have shortlisted him as a transfer target for this summer.
The Italian outlet adds that David Moyes is looking for a young, physical centre-forward prospect and that the club is now showing interest in the Spanish-born Argentine forward.
While Parma’s £25m valuation has placed Everton ahead of other interested Italian clubs like Bologna, Como and Fiorentina, they still face a fierce battle with Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Brentford in the race to sign the 6ft 3in forward, according to the report.
All-round centre-forward
In the just-concluded season, no striker across Serie A generated more headed shots on goal than Pellegrino’s tally of 30, and no player in the Italian league scored more headed goals than his six.
He also ranked among the league’s best attackers in several other categories, placing in the top 95th percentile of Serie A strikers for total shots (73) and successful dribbles (25).
Beyond his goalscoring threat, Pellegrino demonstrated strong all-round involvement in attacking play, creating 22 chances and registering 132 touches inside the opposition penalty area.
For David Moyes, Pellegrino would bring more than just attacking quality. The Argentine is among Serie A’s most industrious forwards out of possession, as highlighted by his 233 duels won and 121 successful aerial duels.
His defensive contribution is equally outstanding, ranking in the top 4.8 per cent of Serie A strikers for possessions won in the final third, with 24.
The 23-year-old has already showcased his pedigree in Serie A, and his technical and physical profile suggests he has the qualities to make a seamless transition to English football.
