Rumours: Real Madrid keen on signing €100 million rated striker
What’s the story?
Real Madrid have entered the race to sign Andrea Belotti from Torino. Arsenal and Chelsea were the only clubs chasing the Italian striker so far.
According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Zidane wants to sign the 23-year-old as a replacement for Alvaro Morata. The Spaniard is looking to leave the club in the summer as he is not getting the opportunity to play regularly at Santiago Bernabeu.
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Torino signed Belotti for a fee of €7.5 million in the summer of 2015. He has notched up 26 goals for them since them of which 15 goals have been in 23 appearances in the Serie A this season.
The 23-year-old received his first international call-up last year, and he has made five appearances ever since. Given that he was attracting interest from top clubs, Torino extended his contract until 2021. They added a €100 million release clause to his contract, but it is valid only to foreign clubs.
The heart of the matter
Real Madrid are on te lookouts for a striker and have set sights on signing the Italian. Los Blancos are said to have made him their #1 target over Aubameyang and Lewandowski.
A move for Aunameyang is on the cards, but with Belotti proving to be a better striker, Zidane's mind has changed. Lewandowski is not interested in leaving Bayern Munich anytime soon despite heavy interest in him.
Morata has already informed his friends that he wants to join Chelsea in te summer and with him leaving, Madrid are keen on signing a replacement very quickly. Chelsea's interest in signing Belotti might end if they land Morata and that would make Madrid favourites to sign him.
Karim Benzema's future at the club is also in doubt, and some reports suggest that the club will sell him in the summer. Juventus, Arsenal and Paris Saint-German are said to be interested in signing the Frenchman.
Torino have made it clear that they will not sell the striker for anything less than the release clause. They turned down a bid from Chelsea and Arsenal last month, although the bid from The Blues said to be more than £60 million.
What’s next?
Real Madrid have the money to spend on Belotti, and if they manage to sell Morata to Chelsea, a move for the Italian would be easy. Torino would also not stand in his way as Los Blancos are not direct rivals.
Moreover, the money they get from the sale of Belotti would help them build a strong team and get them to compete for a Champions League spot. They are currently 9th in the Serie A table – 25 points behind league leaders, Juventus.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Belotti would be a great addition to Real Madrid. His playing style suits the style of play Zidane's men have at the club, and it would be easy for him to fit in.
The move would also be a good one for Torino as they will be able to invest it 3-4 players who can get them higher up the table.