Everton have expressed interest in signing Argentine centre-forward Mateo Pellegrino from Italian Serie A side Parma, according to Sport Parma.
The 24-year-old had earlier spells with the youth academies of Valencia and Inter Milan before returning to Argentina to join Velez Sarsfield.
Pellegrino returned to European football during the 2025 winter transfer window and has since established himself as one of Serie A’s most exciting forwards.
The recently concluded campaign saw the Spanish-born Argentine cement himself as Parma’s leading striker, netting nine Serie A goals, the most in the squad.
His tally was six goals more than the club’s second-highest scorer, Adrian Bernabe, underlining just how central Pellegrino was to Parma’s attacking output.
Across all competitions, Pellegrino registered 13 goal contributions in total, a return that has attracted significant attention from clubs across Europe.
David Moyes is reportedly seeking a young, physical centre-forward, and the Toffees have now shortlisted the 6ft 3in striker as a summer transfer target.
While Parma’s £25m valuation places Everton ahead of interested Italian clubs Bologna, Como and Fiorentina, Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Brentford are also in the running.
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.
The powerful forward placed in the top 95th percentile of Serie A strikers for total shots with 73, and also registered 25 successful dribbles across the campaign.
Pellegrino created 22 chances during the season and registered an impressive 132 touches inside the opposition penalty area, demonstrating strong all-round attacking involvement.
His defensive work rate is equally notable, with 233 duels won and 121 successful aerial duels making him one of the league’s hardest-working centre-forwards out of possession.
Pellegrino also ranks in the top 4.8 per cent of Serie A strikers for possessions won in the final third, recording 24 throughout the season.
His technical and physical profile suggests he has the qualities needed to make a smooth transition into the demands of Premier League football under Moyes.