In-demand Torino captain Andrea Belotti will stay put at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino in the January transfer window despite Inter’s persistent interest. At least that’s according to famous Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, who is adamant the striker won’t leave Turin until the end of the season.
Belotti has less than a year remaining on his contract at Torino. The Granata are keen to tie their star man down to a new deal, but negotiations over his extension have hit a standstill. The 27-year-old has spent the last six years at Torino, growing into one of the most influential figures at the club since arriving from Palermo in 2015.
Torino’s desire to keep hold of Belotti is not surprising. He has been the club’s most prolific player in the past six years, registering over 100 goals across all competitions. However, the Italian marksman has endured an underwhelming start to the new Serie A campaign by his standards despite opening the season with a goal in a 2-1 loss to Atalanta.
Talks about Belotti’s potential departure warmed up during the summer, with Inter emerging as one of the possible candidates to secure his signature. The Nerazzurri are on the lookout for a long-term replacement for Romelu Lukaku, who left the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza to re-sign for Chelsea in the summer. Inter brought in Edin Dzeko as a short-term solution, but they need a more sustainable option moving forward.
Belotti appears to be one of the profiles considered by the Inter hierarchy. But the reigning Serie A holders may have to wait until the summer of 2022 to launch an assault on Il Gallo. Gianluca Di Marzio insists Torino will retain their captain at least until the end of the season.
“[Ivan] Juric has repeatedly reiterated that Gallo will not move in January,” he stated, as relayed by SempreInter. “But the future of the 27-year-old could be equally far from Turin. The renewal negotiation, despite the proposal put on the table by the Granata, is struggling to take off and there is no shortage of clubs ready to deal with [Urbano] Cairo.”