Diego Simeone has pulled the plug on a deal for Atletico Madrid to sign Tottenham Hotspur striker target Andrea Belotti from Torino this summer, according to TuttoMercatoWEB.
The La Liga champions have held productive talks with Belotti’s Serie A outfit in recent days to discuss a move to Spain. Torino are having to consider offers for the Italy international as he is in the final year of his contract. But the Turin side want around €30m (£25.5m) to sell.
Atletico Madrid considered Belotti to be a cheaper alternative to re-signing Barcelona star Antoine Griezmann at Torino’s valuation. The Wanda Metropolitano natives were due for further talks with Il Toro this week, but Simeone has scrapped the deal.
Tottenham will be buoyed by Simeone pulling the plug on Atletico Madrid signing Belotti from Torino this summer. Corriere dello Sport note the north Londoners are tracking the Euro 2020 champion. Although he is the subject of a €30m offer from Zenit St Petersburg.
Corriere dello Sport add Torino have also offered Belotti a new €4m-a-year (£65k-p/w) contract to stay with Ivan Juric’s side. The Toro captain has spent six years at the Olympic Grande Torino Stadium, scoring 105 goals in 228 career games.
Belotti netted 13 of his strikes last season, while adding seven assists. But he was unable to do enough to convince Simeone, it seems. The Atletico Madrid boss hit the stop button, potentially to Atalanta’s benefit. TMW note La Dea would target him if Duvan Zapata goes.
Belotti will only join a side where he will play regularly to protect his place in Roberto Mancini’s Italy squad for the World Cup. That could be Atalanta, with Gianluca di Marzio reporting Inter Milan want Zapata if Chelsea re-sign Romelu Lukaku.
Tottenham may scupper Chelsea’s Lukaku bid with Belotti after Atletico Madrid snub
Tottenham, then, may scupper Chelsea’s bid to re-sign Lukaku with a move for Belotti after Simeone snubbed Atletico Madrid targeting the Torino striker. The Italian arriving in north London could remove one of the potential makeweights for Inter Milan to sell the Belgian.
Managing Director Fabio Paratici would also strengthen Nuno Espirito’s squad, along with potentially thwarting one of his new local rivals. Belotti has been a consistent goal threat over his years at Torino, even when La Dea have fought off relegation.
Il Toro ended last term 17th, just four points above the drop zone, yet Belotti ranked 13th for goals scored. He also provided a team-high seven assists across all competitions before featuring at Euro 2020. The 27-year-old played in all but one game as Italy won the title.
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