Arsenal are reportedly, per The Sun, front runners alongside Chelsea to sign Italian striker Andrea Belotti from Torino.
Belotti’s price tag is anywhere north of £85 million, after having an exceptional campaign for Torino. Belotti scored 26 goals in Serie A league play as well as providing 6 assists.
The Sun’s Mike McGrath reported Arsenal will contend for one of Serie A’s hottest attacking talents after missing out on a deal in January, while Chelsea are thought to be prioritizing Everton talisman Romelu Lukaku.
Since Chelsea are likely prioritizing Lukaku, this opens the door for Arsenal to complete the move in bringing Belotti to the Premier League.
With the uncertainty of keeping strikers Alexis Sanchez and Lucas Perez, Belotti would be able to slide right in and play alongside Olivier Giroud and continue his success.
He is fast and has excellent stamina, which will serve Arsenal’s counter-attacking style of play really well. Belotti is also a good aerial player, as Arsenal could use a forward who is crafty in the air just like Giroud.
However, Belotti does have a high price tag and he might not want to play for Arsenal next season. Having fallen out of the top four for the first time in 20 years, Arsenal will not be participating in the Champions League, which could diminish their chances of signing Belotti.
If Belotti does indeed decide to sign with Arsenal, he will certainly bring upside in returning to the Champions League after one season. Arsenal has two chances next year to qualify for the Champions League.
Since they finished in fifth place this season, they can win the Europa League next season just like Manchester United did, or they can finish in the top four in the Premier League to qualify. This potential signing is one to keep an eye on for the remainder of the summer, as Belotti is an attractive player for a lot of the top European clubs.
