Newcastle rivalling West Ham for Andrea Belotti but Toronto favourites for Torino ace

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Newcastle United are unyielding in the club’s pursuit of Andrea Belotti, but may face fierce rival interest from Toronto if the Italy forward leaves Torino in a free transfer this summer.

That’s according to TuttoMercatoWEB, who report the Toon are one of the five most likely clubs to explore his capture. The striker is out of contract at his Serie A side in June, and is ‘almost certainly’ set to leave the Olympic Grande Torino Stadium when his terms expire.

Several tracks away from Turin are, therefore, emerging, with two pointing towards a move to the Premier League. Newcastle and West Ham United remain in the race, having shown a strong interest in Belotti’s transfer, but may have to rival a handful of Italian outfits, too.

Atalanta are ready to revolutionize their frontline over the off-season, while Fiorentina can present the 28-year-old a future in Tuscany. Viola head coach Vincenzo Italiano believes he can be ideal for the Artemio Franchi Stadium side, who are unlikely to buy Krzysztof Piatek.

But the path leading to Major League Soccer and Toronto is emerging above all else for the 42-cap Azzurri attacker. The Canadian side have been most insistent with their interest in his services, while Belotti may soon warm ever more to a new challenge across the pond.

Italy boss Roberto Mancini is weighing up restyling the national side after failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. A refresh would put Belotti’s presence in doubt, and can see him give greater thought to following Lorenzo Insigne to MLS with the BMO Field natives.

Toronto may blow Newcastle out of free transfer market if Belotti leaves Torino

Toronto have already secured Insigne’s services in a free transfer from Napoli ahead of his contract expiring in June. The winger will earn £11m-a-season (£211.5k-a/w) in Canada on a four-year contract. Now, they may give Belotti a bigger contract than any European side.

TuttoMercatoWEB note Torino president Urbano Cairo has already admitted Belotti ‘may have already signed for another club’. But the forward, whom his former manager Davide Nicola calls ‘unique’, has not yet indicated to the Serie A side if he has decided his future.

That offers Newcastle a window of hope to edge Toronto and seal Belotti’s free transfer from Torino this summer. But Eddie Howe still faces having to convince the forward of why he should snub a lucrative pay day in Canada, remaining in Italy or joining West Ham, too.