Andrea Belotti is unlikely to sign a new contract at Torino after being linked with Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, the Serie A club’s president told Football Italia.
For the second time this week, an Italy-based goal-machine linked with clubs on both side of the North London divide has cast serious doubt on his future.
After months of negotiations, Dusan Vlahovic decided to reject the chance to extend his stay at a rejuvenated, ambitious Fiorentina outfit.
With the self-professed ‘next Zlatan Ibrahimovic’ due to become a free agent in 2023, La Viola have little choice but to prepare for life without a striker who, if it wasn’t for the irrepressible Erling Haaland, could probably lay claim to being Europe’s most exciting young striker.
Vlahovic will not come cheap, however – at least, not in January.
It is believed that Fiorentina want a staggering £77 million.
Torino could only dream of demanding a similar fee for Belotti, reports suggesting that a penalty-box predator once valued in the region of £100 million will be available for as little as £5 million in January.
Is Andrea Belotti heading to the Premier League?
“He hasn’t signed (his new contract) and he probably doesn’t want to sign,” said Torino president Urbano Cairo after trying and failing to make the Italy international the highest-paid player in the club’s history.
Belotti is due to become a free agent in just nine months.
“I made an offer that went beyond my capabilities, but I can’t force him to do anything. I don’t think he wants to sign.”
Corriere Granata reported earlier in the year that Everton, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur were all interested while Arsenal, who appear ready to move on from the now-30-year-old Alexandre Lacazette, are also in the market for an old-school goal poacher.
Interestingly, Torino director Davide Vagnati confirmed that Spurs had tried to sign Belotti in the summer of 2020 too.
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