Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Nicolò Schira claims West Ham United want Torino striker Andrea Belotti to replace Marko Arnautovic with the Austrian set to leave for Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua.
#WestHam wants Andrea #Belotti to replace Marko #Arnautovic (sold to #ShanghaiShenhua for € 25M plus € 5M bonus): #Hammers is ready to offer € 40M to #Torino and a contract until 2024 (by €3,5M a year) for the striker, but #Cairo wouldn't want to sell him. #transfers #WHUFC
— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) July 5, 2019
The Hammers are said to be ready to part with £36 million for the services of the Torino ace, but it remains to be seen if a move is indeed on the cards as they were also linked with Belotti in January.
West Ham have Celta Vigo’s Maxi Gomez on their radar, but a move for the Uruguayan is proving difficult, and they could be ready to switch attention to the Italy international.
A lot of the London club supporters also seem to prefer Belotti, and here is how they reacted to reports linking him with a move on Twitter:
I'd love this happen ⚒⚒⚒
— George Nicolas (@GeorgeNicolas_1) July 5, 2019
Would prefer belotti to Gomez . #baller
— Pabloeskimo (@pabloeskimo10) July 5, 2019
If West Ham land this, it will be an epic transfer for them
— John Hancock (@LiberatedMind17) July 5, 2019
Maxi Gomez or Andrea Belotti – £45-50m.
Solomon Rondon – £14m + Player.
Andre Silva or Mario Balotelli (loan to buy / free).IF (and its a big IF) we could get that done, would be great business on our part. #WHUFC #COYI
— West Ham News & Views ⚒️ (@WHUFC_News_6) July 6, 2019
This would be a mad signing. Him or Gomez be a dream for us
— Brad Palmer (@Mr_BA6) July 5, 2019
I actually prefer him to Gomez.
— Kris Johnson (@kjohno10) July 5, 2019
I think so as well but I trust Mario Husillos’ intuition more than my own so I’d still rather Gomez considering how much he wants him
— tomas luisis (@tomasluisis) July 5, 2019
I’d rather have him that Gomez
— Adam Wills (@adamtimothywill) July 5, 2019
So wish this was true. Would take him ahead of Gomez any day
— roy beadle (@jackiancorey) July 5, 2019
€40m and Obiang ??
— Caulay⚽️ (@Caulay__) July 5, 2019
Belotti has 79 goals in 201 Serie games to his name, and can be the perfect striker and upgrade on Arnautovic.
Finishing in top-seven is manager Manuel Pellegrini’s target for next campaign, and he needs a quality finisher to lead the line.
It remains to be seen if the Italy international can ever replicate the form of the 2016-17 season that saw him score 26 goals in 35 league games and prompted Torino to slap a £90 million asking price on his head.
However, a return of 17 goals in 39 games last season shows Belotti still has the quality to lead the line for West Ham, and it will be interesting to see if the Hammers can secure his services this summer.
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