Report: Man United Set to Trigger Lorenzo Pellegrini's Release Clause

Manchester United are lining up a January move for highly rated Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Manchester United are lining up a January move for highly rated Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose release clause of €30m (£27m) is temptingly low.

After an excellent start to the season, Roma are making efforts to get Pellegrini signed up to an improved contract which will increase or remove that release clause, which was put in place when he rejoined the capital club from Sassuolo in 2017.

But United are trying to prevent that from happening by offering to activate Pellegrini's release clause and double his wages from his current salary of £1m a year.

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Football Italia), Pellegrini's agent Giacomo Pocetta met with Manchester United directors on Saturday, where a 'huge proposal' was put forward for the 22-year-old.

Roma's director of sport Monchi will fight tooth and nail to keep Pellegrini, as he is determined that they will not lose another star midfielder after the summer sales of Radja Nainggolan and Kevin Strootman to Inter and Lyon, respectively.

I Giallorossi have developed an unwanted reputation for being a selling club in recent years, with Mohamed Salah, Antonio Rudiger, Leandro Paredes and Alisson among those to leave the Stadio Olimpico over the last two summers.

The loss of Pellegrini would be a devastating blow after his contributions at the start of this season, with two goals and five assists to his name so far, including the winner against CSKA Moscow in Roma's last Champions League match.

Pellegrini was on the books at Roma from the age of nine, although he left in 2015 after just one first team appearance. He spent two successful years at Sassuolo before Roma activated a €10m buyback clause to bring him home.