Everton could reportedly turn their attention to 28-year-old free-agent Italian striker Andrea Belotti to replace Richarlison after his move to Tottenham.
According to the Daily Mail, Andrea Belotti is among the names on Everton’s shortlist of potential players to replace Richarlison, who recently joined Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth £60 million.
Belotti has become a free agent after declining to renew his contract with Torino. The Italian international has made over 200 Serie A appearances for Torino. He has been a consistent goal threat over the last seven years, scoring 100 league goals along the way, so it is no surprise the interest is hot to snap him on a Bosman move.
Belotti was on every top club’s radar back in 2017, when he came into the limelight after scoring 26 league goals in 35 games in the 2016/17 campaign. And while he may not have been able to reproduce that form, the 28-year-old remained a dependable source of goals for Torino over the years, helping them survive relegation in the last couple of seasons.
Last season was a tough one for the 28-year-old as he scored eight goals in 23 games amid a series of injury problems. Nicknamed “The Rooster”, Torino were keen to tie down the No.9 to fresh terms, but he has decided against it and is currently looking for a fresh challenge.
As such, he has no shortage of suitors from all across the continent. Premier League sides Newcastle United and West Ham were locked in a battle to sign Italy striker last January and still remain interested. Everton are also considering a summer swoop for Belotti but may have to battle with a handful of Italian outfits as well.
Given that Belotti would cost nothing in transfer fees, Everton should try everything to lure the Italian international to Goodison Park this summer. Everton are cash-strapped, and even after collecting £60 million for Richarlison, those funds must be stretched to help rebuild the team, with manager Frank Lampard looking to maximise his small transfer kitty this summer.
Should the Merseyside club be able to add someone of Belotti’s quality to their squad for free, it could prove to be a shrewd bit of business. At 28 years old, he is in his peak years and boasts extensive top-level experience, having played a role in Italy’s Euro 2020 success.
That being said, he possesses a similar skill set to that of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with both marksman good in the air and consistent scorers. If Everton intend to keep the Englishman, Belotti is unlikely to join for a bench role. In that scenario, Watford attacker Emmanuel Dennis could be a better like-for-like replacement for Richarlison than Belotti but would cost around £20 million.
Nonetheless, whether Everton can fend off stiff competition and tempt the Italian international to join their rebuild at Goodison Park remains to be seen.
