Juventus are continuing negotiations with Parma for striker Mateo Pellegrino despite an attempt by Crystal Palace to enter the race, with the structure of the deal – rather than the €30m asking price – the central obstacle, according to Football Italia.

Sportitalia transfer pundit Gianluigi Longari reports that Palace made a move to intercept, but Pellegrino has his heart set on Juventus. That personal preference gives the Bianconeri a meaningful advantage, though it does nothing to resolve the structural impasse that has stalled the deal.

Mateo Pellegrino celebrating in Parma's football kit during a match.

Formula the sticking point, not the price

The complication is Juventus’s preferred payment model: a loan with an option to buy that converts into an obligation if specific conditions are met. Parma have rejected that structure, demanding stronger guarantees that the transfer becomes permanent and clarity on the timing of the payment.

There is an additional complication in the sell-on clause owed to Vélez Sarsfield. Parma signed Pellegrino from the Argentine club in February 2025 for just €1.64m but with a seven per cent sell-on obligation, meaning a portion of any future fee flows back to Buenos Aires – a detail that sharpens Parma’s insistence on a clean, guaranteed exit rather than a conditional loan arrangement.

The 24-year-old finished last season with 12 goals and one assist across 39 appearances in Serie A and the Coppa Italia, a return that has driven Parma’s firm €30m valuation and attracted attention well beyond Turin.

Broader striker search continues

Pellegrino has risen up the shortlist as negotiations with PSG over Randal Kolo Muani have dragged on without resolution. The departure of Dusan Vlahovic on a free has left Juventus with an urgent need for a centre-forward, and the club are now working to find a revised proposal that satisfies Parma’s demands without surrendering the payment flexibility they have sought throughout. A fresh offer and Parma’s response will determine whether this one moves forward before the window tightens.