What’s the story?
Chelsea have had a staggering £75 million bid for Andrea Belotti rejected by Torino. The Blues are keen on signing a striker and have already begun talks with several targets.
The Italian has been on the radar for several clubs this season thanks to his impressive form at the Serie A side. Apart from Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, Manchester City and even Arsenal have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old striker.
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Chelsea are looking to sign a replacement for Diego Costa, who has reportedly agreed to a move to the Chinese side, Tijan Quanjian in the summer. The Chinese Super League side made a bid for the Chelsea front man in January, but the proposal was rejected by The Blues' straight away.
Costa was looking to leave Chelsea last summer as well and was keen on rejoining Atletico Madrid. The London side managed to convince him to stay, and now he is leading them from the front to Premier League glory.
The heart of the matter
With Diego Costa set to leave, Antonio Conte is wasting no time in finding a replacement. The Blues' have been tracking Belotti for some time now and have been linked with a move for him.
Reports now suggest that Chelsea offered Torino £75 million to secure the signing of the striker. However, the Serie A side have rejected the offer straight away as they look to hold to his release clause which stands at £85 million.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are also chasing the 23-year-old striker and have been sending scouts to watch him more often than any other clubs. Los Blancos see him as the alternative should they fail to land Paulo Dybala.
What’s next?
Belotti is not Chelsea's #1 choice, so they will try and make a move for other targets before going back to him. Alvaro Morata has openly spoken about working under Conte and with Madrid ready to sell him, The Blues might land him for a price around £65-£70 million.
However, if Conte is keen on signing Belotti over any other striker right now, it is highly likely that the Premier League side will activate the release clause in the coming weeks. This will give them permission to talk to the player and also help them beat off competition from Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Author’s Take
It is not a surprise that Chelsea are ready to pay a huge fee for Belotti. He is a brilliant striker and would do wonders at Chelsea. Moreover, he is just 23, so that means he has at least ten years left in him. Adding to that, £85 million for a player who delivers 20-25 goals a year would be a bargain on any given day!
