Arsenal have joined AC Milan, Fiorentina and Napoli in the race to sign Andrea Belotti, who is tipped to leave Torino in the summer.
According to Tuttosport, Arsenal have become a potential destination for Andrea Belotti. The Torino forward is widely expected to leave the club, with his contract in Turin expiring at the end of next season. The Serie A outfit, therefore, are ready to cash in on their star player for a fee of around €34 million.
Arsenal appear to be the latest club that has expressed their interest in Belotti. The Premier League giants, though, are set to face stiff competition from Italian trio AC Milan, Fiorentina and Napoli.
A member of the Torino side since 2015, Belotti has achieved great things at the club. He has an excellent scoring record of 105 goals in 228 competitive matches and is now the club captain. The forward has also won 36 caps for the Italian national team, finding the back of the net 12 times.
The 27-year-old’s impressive track record, combined with his experience at the highest level of football, had previously appealed to Liverpool. But it appears the Reds are now keen on exploring other options in the market, including Donyell Malen, who is set to leave PSV Eindhoven in the summer.
It paves the way ideally for Arsenal to pursue Belotti this summer. The Gunners already have a financial advantage over the likes of Milan, Fiorentina and Napoli, but more importantly, they are in desperate need of reinforcements in the attacking unit.
Star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s struggles under Mikel Arteta have already been well-documented. As for other options, Alexandre Lacazette’s time at Emirates might soon come to an end while Eddie Nketiah was offered to Leeds United earlier this month.
Arsenal did manage to tie Folarin Balogun down to a new contract this summer. But there are question marks over his regular involvement in the first-team next season – making Belotti an ideal option for Arteta next season.
Thanks to his physical prowess, the Italian international offers a more traditional option in the number nine role. He can also get on the end of crosses from talented Arsenal wingers such as Bukayo Saka, Nicolas Pepe and even Aubameyang, should the Gabonese international remain at Emirates.
A fee of just €34 million is quite reasonable for a player for Belotti’s quality and experience, too, making him a viable target for Arsenal as they hope to undergo a squad overhaul in the summer.
