Milan have been searching for the right Theo Hernandez backup for a few years and have set sights on Luca Pellegrini. He hasn’t been a regular at Lazio due to a few injuries. The Biancocelesti signed him on an 18-month loan with an obligation to buy from Juventus last summer.

According to La Repubblica (via OneFootball), there’s a chance the fullback will be on the move again this window. It’ll hinge on the offers, the capital side’s signings, and Marco Baroni’s plans. He has notched 26 appearances in 2023/2024, scoring and assisting once.

Milan will have to compete with West Ham, Aston Villa, and Real Betis to acquire Pellegrini. Lazio are closing in on Juan Cabal and might move on. Adam Marusic and Elseid Hysaj can also handle the role, although the Italian fullback is the only lefty.

The Biancocelesti will be forced to sign the 25-year-old permanently for €4M next year. He joined them along with Nicolò Rovella. He previously spent time on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt, Cagliari, and Genoa. He played 21 times in his lone campaign in Turin, even though he’s been under contract with the Old Lady since 2019.

Our Take on Milan and Pellegrini

They’ll have to find somebody cheap and comfortable with the role since Hernandez is an ironman. It won’t be easy to sign somebody young-ish. Their latest target has a pretty sizeable salary, and that’s why a minnow hasn’t acquired him outright in recent years. The fee is meager but taking over a loan with an obligation to buy isn’t the easiest proposition technically speaking.

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