Torino coach Ivan Juric is desperate for Andrea Belotti to commit his future to the club amid reported interest from Premier League giants Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport.
Fortunately for Juric, it seems he has the backing of his club as a modern-day great faces an uncertain future at the Stadio Olimpico.
Last week, Torino president Urbano Cairo admitted Belotti had been offered a new contract – one that would allegedly make Italy’s Euro 2020-winning striker the highest-paid player in the club’s history.
Belotti, however, has yet to put pen to paper.
As a result, Torino may have no choice but to listen to offers in the region of £30 million during the final few weeks of the transfer window as fears grow Belotti could leave the Granata for nothing in 2022.
Could Belotti replace Kane at Tottenham or Lacazette at Arsenal?
In June, Tuttosport reported Arsenal were interested in Belotti as Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah both potentially headed for the exit.
Arch rivals Tottenham are also long-time admirers of Belotti. And you may have noticed Spurs face a fight too as they look to retain the services of a certain talismanic centre-forward.
“I want (Belotti) to tell me: ‘Coach, I want to stay here. I’m your captain, let’s go to war,’” says Juric, who recently took over at Torino after working wonders at perennial overachievers Hellas Verona.
“I hope he will be convinced he can score 20 goals with this team. That’s my idea.
“I understand Andrea might have some concerns after two disappointing years. But I start from scratch and say two years ago Belotti was an absolute top player – but he hasn’t been in the last two years.
“I don’t think he played a good season (in 2020/21). But if Belotti works properly, I’m convinced we will get back a great centre-forward. But he must regain the real spark, which he might have lost in recent years.”
Juric has a point.
Belotti scored just 13 times last season and it feels like a long time ago some were suggesting he would become Serie A’s first £100 million export.
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