While his AS Roma teammates bask in the English pre-season sun, captain **Lorenzo Pellegrini** remains in the eternal city, engaged in a rather solitary and, shall we say, *complicated* start to what could be his final season in Giallorossi colors. The narrative surrounding the Italian midfielder is a tangled web of unfortunate injuries, a looming contract expiration, and the sharp, unvarnished realities of a new coaching philosophy under Gian Piero Gasperini.
A Season Starting on the Sidelines
Pellegrini`s physical woes are significant. Since early May, he has been sidelined by a severe **quadriceps tendon lesion**. This was no mere muscle tweak; it necessitated surgery in Finland – a country perhaps better known for its saunas than its surgical suites, though clearly competent. This extensive recovery has effectively kept him off the field, ensuring he misses the entirety of Gasperini`s crucial pre-season preparations.
Adding a curious footnote to his absence, Pellegrini also missed the initial squad gathering for a **rhinoplasty** (nose surgery). While doctors reportedly dictated the timing, one might question the strategic brilliance of undergoing cosmetic procedures precisely when a new, famously demanding coach is laying down the law. Football, it seems, waits for no nose.
Gasperini`s Unsentimental Assessment
New coach Gian Piero Gasperini, never one to mince words or indulge in sentimentality, offered a rather blunt assessment of Pellegrini`s situation. He referred to the captain quite simply as **”an injured player”** and stressed the paramount importance of a “team” mentality, where every player contributes equally to both attack and defense. Gasperini`s message was clear: personal flair is secondary to collective effort, and past reputation counts for little in his demanding system. It’s a pragmatic, albeit perhaps not overly empathetic, stance that leaves little room for individual exceptions.
The coach`s desire for a “quicker element” in Pellegrini`s typical role, exemplified by players like Ademola Lookman, further highlights the tactical misalignment. Whispers of potential replacements such as Nene Dorgeles, Claudio Echeverri, and Oscar Enciso only amplify the pressure on a player already facing a Herculean task to regain full fitness and, more importantly, a starting berth.
The Contractual Conundrum: A Costly Silence
Beyond the immediate physical hurdles lies an even more formidable obstacle: Pellegrini`s **contract**. Set to expire in June 2026, there is a deafening silence from the Roma hierarchy regarding a renewal. This is perhaps unsurprising, given Pellegrini`s current salary of approximately **6.5 million euros** (including bonuses) – a figure that places him among the club`s highest earners, alongside the prolific Paulo Dybala.
Last season`s return of just two goals in 25 appearances certainly hasn`t bolstered his negotiating position. It`s a challenging equation for the club: a high-earning player, prone to injury, whose recent performance has not justified his wage. The stark reality is that Roma appears keen to offload their captain either in this transfer window or the next, rather than risk losing him on a free transfer.
A Reluctant Departure?
Attempts to engineer a swap deal with Juventus for Weston McKennie reportedly stalled, with the Bianconeri seemingly holding out for Bryan Cristante instead. Transient interest from Napoli and Fiorentina quickly evaporated. And the ever-present allure of Saudi Arabia, while financially tempting, reportedly holds little appeal for the Romanista at this stage of his career.
In the interim, the captain`s armband has deservedly fallen to Stephan El Shaarawy, who wears it with a visible smile. A smile, it must be noted, that former Roma coach Claudio Ranieri famously observed Lorenzo Pellegrini had struggled to find.
The Path Forward: A Test of Resilience
So, what now for Lorenzo Pellegrini? Can a player, once hailed as the future of Roma and a symbol of Roman loyalty, rediscover the form and indeed, the “smile” that Ranieri lamented he`d lost? His path back to relevance, let alone undisputed captaincy, is exceptionally steep. It demands:
- Exceptional performances upon his return to the field.
- A rapid and successful adaptation to Gasperini`s demanding, high-intensity system.
- A public demonstration of his commitment to the collective rather than individual glory.
With no pre-season under his belt, and a tactical role still undefined, the coming months will be a brutal test of Pellegrini`s resilience and determination. Only time will tell if he can defy the odds and rewrite this chapter, proving that not every “case” in football ends with a transfer or a free agent departure, but sometimes with a triumphant return from the brink.
