Torino president Urbano Cairo made it clear that the club will not sell Andrea Belotti unless the player’s staggering €100 million release clause is matched by any foreign club, as Christian Vieri urged the Italian to make a switch to AC Milan.
The Italy international has generated plenty of transfer talk before and during the summer window, with his 28-goal haul in 2016-17 raising his profile and attracting interest from all across Europe.
The Torino man has been linked with a big money move to AC Milan after the
Earlier, Chelsea were also interested in signing the Italian striker, but now the Blues are on the verge of completing a £70million move for Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata.
The Blues have now dropped their interest in Belotti, leaving AC Milan in pole position to sign the 23-year-old striker this summer.
The Torino hierarchy do not want to sell Belotti as long as he remains motivated and focussed at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.
Cairo told Premier Sport: “The lad’s done very well with us but he has to stay with us and he can stay. I’ll only be forced to sell him if someone abroad comes forward with the player’s release clause to buy him.”
“I haven’t negotiated with anyone. I’ve always said that I’d like to have him motivated here, but I’ve also said that in all my companies, I have motivated staff.”
“He is engaged with us until 2021. And I think he would do well to stay one more year with us, to go to the World Cup with momentum. He can have a great season with us.”
“I don’t want to sell him, but there’s a clause. If someone from abroad comes with €100m, then I shake his hand and wish him good luck.”
AC Milan have already roped in the likes of Andre Silva, Ricardo Rodriguez, Hakan Calhanoglu, Andrea Conti, Mateo Musacchio, Franck Kessie, Fabio Borini, Leonardo Bonucci and Lucas Bigila in an outstanding £160million spending spree so far this summer, and former striker Vieri wants Belotti to the revolution at the San Siro.
Vieri told Sky Sport Italia: “A new striker for Milan? [Nikola] Kalinic has more quality with the ball at feet, but I prefer Belotti because he’s bigger, hungrier and more of a handful.”
“Still, he must continue to fight like an animal. He reminds me of [Torino’s all-time top scorer Paolo] Pulici. I advise him to go to a big team quickly. He must make another leap in quality.”
According to reports, Belotti prefers a move to Milan because he is excited by the vision and commitment of the new Chinese owners.
He has also been left out of Torino’s latest kit photoshoot and this has intensified rumours that the Italian hit-man is set to join a new club this summer.
