Arsenal could get their hands on Torino’s Andrea Belotti this summer, should they cough a club-record sum for his services. The Italy international has been watched by the Gunners on multiple occasions during the season.
Belotti, 23, has been in outstanding form in the Serie A this campaign, and his tally of 22 goals in just 24 outings has captured the attention of Europe’s elite.
Among those interested are the Gunners. Toro sporting director Gianluca Petrachi had alleged the Gunners to have tabled a £56m offer for Belotti during the winter transfer window, but these claims were quickly dismissed by manager Arsene Wenger.
Irrespective of this, the north London giants have been keeping tabs on the marksman for a while, and the latest hint from Urbano Cairo – Toro’s president, gives them an opportunity of landing the player in the summer.
Belotti had only inked a fresh long-term deal in December 2016, but Cairo admits that the club could sell their striker at his maximum value, which stands to be his £86m release clause.
He told The Mail: “We set Belotti’s clause and it’s true that we would be forced to sell him abroad for that sum if he agreed to the move. However, in Italy, I still have the right to refuse all offers, or the player could decide not to leave even if there are offers above 100m euros (£86m)”
The Gunners have lacked the presence of a 30-goal striker ever since Robin van Persie departed for Manchester United in the summer of 2012, and Belotti could be the perfect fit, provided the club are willing to splash more than the twice the club-record £42.5m fee spent to recruit Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid in 2013.
League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in the marksman, and this would only make things tougher if the Gunners fail to clinch a Champions League position.
Arsenal are currently fifth in the Premier League standings, two points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool with a game in hand.
