According to Sunday’s print edition of La Repubblica (via Football Italia), Everton are prepared to launch a summer move for Torino striker Andrea Belotti. However, it is believed that the Toffees will face stiff competition from Napoli, Fiorentina, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid in pursuit of the Italian marksman during the summer transfer period (via Football Italia).
Belotti’s’s Excellent Form For Torino This Season
The 26-year-old has experienced a prolific season for the Turin-based club following a series of goal-scoring displays as the focal point of Moreno Longo’s attack. He has featured in 31 matches for the Italian outfit this term, finding the back of the net on 15 occasions and grabbing three assists across multiple competitions which highlight how consistent he has been in front of the opposition goal.
The Calcinate-born forward has established himself as a fan-favourite at Torino after averaging 2.7 shots, 1.1 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Serie A this season. However, he can be a bit sloppy with his ball-distribution as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 68.1% in league football so far (stats via whoscored). His attacking contributions helped the Turin-based team to steer away from the relegation zone before the football world came to an unexpected standstill as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Belotti has also made a positive impact on the international stage with the Italian national side, netting nine goals in 27 appearances for his country thus far. If he can maintain his prolific goal-scoring form next season, then he should have a decent shot of being selected in Roberto Mancini’s’s squad for the UEFA European Championship finals which have been rescheduled to take place in the summer of 2021.
What Will The Italian Goal-Getter Bring To Merseyside?
Belotti can utilise his quickness and agility to make a few well-timed runs with the ball behind the last line of the opposition defence. He has a good football IQ that allows him to get into some promising areas in the final third and is renowned for his finishing instincts inside the opposition penalty box. The Italian international can pack a lot of power with his strikes at goal and tends to win his fair share of 50-50 aerial duels with his marker. He can make full use of his upper-body strength to shield the ball and be a constant menace up top. However, his overall link-up play still has a lot of room for improvement.
A striker of Belotti’s track record will undoubtedly be a massive coup for the Toffees if they end up winning the chase for his signature this summer. He will not only add a lot of goals and physicality to Carlo Ancelotti’s attack but also improve the overall depth of his squad at Goodison Park. Furthermore, the Italian centre-forward will increase competition for the likes of Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anthony Gordon in the race to earn a regular starting berth at Merseyside next season.
All in all, Belotti will be a fine addition to Ancelotti’s team as he could potentially help them compete for some major silverware in the coming seasons. However, the jury is still out on whether he has what it takes to succeed in the Premier League.
