Manchester United have reportedly tabled a €75 million bid for Torino striker Andrea Belotti.
According to Francesco Manassero of Italian media outlet La Stampa Sport, Manchester United have made inroads to sign Chelsea target Andrea Belotti by submitting an audacious €75 million offer for him.
The Italian marksman is one of Europe’s finest young strikers, and it is no surprise that he is attracting interest from some of the best teams in the continent. He has already racked up 25 goals and 5 assists in 31 league appearances this season.
Still only 23 years old, Belotti has the potential to grow leaps and bounds and become one of the best strikers in the world. Italy have not produced too many quality strikers in the last few years, but the Torino hitman seems to be full of potential.
The Red Devils have shown an avid interest in the player as their star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic recently damaged his ACL, and is likely to be out for several months. Also, he is already 35, and it may be time for someone younger to fill in his boots.
While Marcus Rashford is showing signs of promise at a very young age, Jose Mourinho may want to wait for a couple of seasons before he can rely on the Englishman to lead the line for the club.
He can also play as a winger, so Belotti could fit into the central striker role, and add flair to a United attack that has often craved for goals this season. With the astronomical values players are signed for these days, anything around the €60-65 million bracket seems a decent bet for the 23-year-old.
However, United are not expected to sign him without receiving stiff competition from fellow English side Chelsea. The Blues recently saw a €60 million offer for the Italian turned down, and are expected to make an improved offer in the summer.
Blues boss Antonio Conte must be knowing the player all too well as he would have been extensively watched by the manager’s scouting pool during his days as the Italy head coach. Also, with him performing at that level for one Serie A’s mid-table clubs, it takes some doing.
The interest for the 23-year-old’s services is not just restricted to England as Spanish duo of Real Madrid and Barcelona are also reportedly keeping an eye on him. The former reportedly opened talks with him in March while the latter have been linked with him since February this year.
For now, Manchester United have tabled a formal bid to land Belotti in the summer, and it remains to be seen if Torino let him go for anything less than his €100 million buyout clause.
