Arsenal have been reportedly told that they will have to shell out a staggering £50 million to secure the services of Torino striker Andrea Belotti.
According to Daniel Cutts and Emanuele Guilianelli of the Sun, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has been keeping tabs on Italian forward Andrea Belotti, but has been put off by his colossal asking rate. The Frenchman is known to be an admirer of the 23-year-old and wants to be informed if any other clubs are to table a bid for him.
Arsenal’s Premier League rivals Liverpool are one of the clubs interested in signing the Torino forward. Since September, the Reds manager Jurgen Klopp has been keeping an eye on the Italian given the attacking dilemmas he has been facing this season.
A settled front three of Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were working in tandem, before Coutinho got ruled out for several weeks due to an ankle injury. While the Brazilian is yet to return to action, the Reds have lost Mane to the African Cup of Nations, and the Senegalese could be out for a whole month, at the very least.
Divock Origi has stepped in to score crucial goals, but his form has been dwindling of late. Daniel Sturridge is battling fitness concerns of his own while reserve striker Danny Ings has been ruled out for the entire course of the season.
For Arsenal, Chilean attacker Alexis Sanchez has been one of the focal points in the attack, and has taken the mantle from the injury-laden Olivier Giroud. While the Frenchman has returned to the starting eleven and he has been scoring on a regular basis, Wenger may still look for an upgrade for him in the window and Belotti could fit the bill perfectly.
The 23-year-old has been in exquisite form for his club this term, averaging a goal or an assist per game. In 16 Serie A appearances, Belotti has found the back of the net on 13 occasions and has assisted another three. He has also scored in the Coppa Italia for the Turin outfit.
Initially, the player was linked with moves ranging from €15 million to €22 million, but his performances over the course of the season has seen his asking price sky-rocket.
For Arsenal, signing the player could mean breaking the club-record fee paid for Mesut Ozil to Spanish side Real Madrid. Wenger has usually been cautious with his signings, and is unlikely to buy into the demands of Torino.
