Torino President Urbano Cairo claims he cannot do anything more to retain Andrea Belotti amid reported transfer interest from Tottenham Hotspur, via quotes by Gianluca Di Marzio.
Belotti is now in the final six-months of his contract in Turin and is free to start negotiating Bosman deals. The Toro captain penned his current terms in 2016, a year after joining the Serie A side from Palermo.
Torino are getting an early look at what a Belotti-less future may look like this season. He has missed 11 of their 20 league fixtures so far this term through injury, and is unlikely to return until February after sustaining a hamstring tear in November during his fifth start.
Belotti has struck two goals and one assist over the 478-minutes he has managed over nine outings so far. The 28-year-old is now just six shy of reaching a century of Serie A goals with Torino after 219 appearances. He has hit 107 goals in 238 games in all competitions.
Cairo offers Tottenham hope of transfer for Torino striker Belotti
Belotti’s injury may see the forward stays at Torino during the January transfer window, despite interest from Tottenham. Tuttosport reported in November that Antonio Conte and Managing Director Fabio Paratici are keen to take their compatriot to north London.
Any mid-season deal would likely be worth less than the €25m (£21m) Cairo demanded to sell last summer, per L’Interista. The Toro chief is also growing resigned to the 41-cap ace leaving, as a new contract remains unlikely.
“I think it is a bit superfluous to talk about it again,” Cairo said. “Things are clear.
“If the player has other ideas, we cannot do more than what we did considering the moment and the economic levels offered.
“Now, he has to think about playing without spending more time on it.”
Reports by Calciomercato last month claimed Torino had offered Tottenham transfer target Belotti a new contract worth €3m-a-year (£48k-a/w). He would have earned bonuses above the net salary, but failed to respond before Cairo’s deadline.
Now, if Belotti were to consider a new contract, Torino would only offer the striker €2.5m-a-year (£40k-a/w) given his injuries. So, Cairo admitting it is redundant to discuss a new deal will offer Conte hope of a transfer to Tottenham.
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