Torino striker Andrea Belotti is reportedly in preliminary talks with Bayern Munich, which will be a blow for Chelsea who have been linked with a move.
The Italian international has been in fine form this season, scoring 19 goals in 24 games for the Granata while also making his mark for the national team last year too.
In turn, it’s no surprise that interest in the 23-year-old is growing, but La Stampa claim that Chelsea may well be falling down the pecking order with Bayern ready to swoop.
Belotti signed a new contract last year and is said to have an £86m release clause in the deal, as noted in the report, and so any club keen on prising him away from Turin will have to dig deep into their pockets.
While he may not have proven it over a lengthy period of time, his ability to consistently score goals is there for all to see and so perhaps for a team looking to challenge for major honours for many years, he is a perfect signing to lead the line.
The report claims that Carlo Ancelotti is keen on his compatriot with the Bundesliga giants contacting Torino and holding initial talks over a transfer.
In turn, should Chelsea be serious about their interest in the Italian ace, then they’ll have to act quickly otherwise they could miss out to their European rivals with a summer transfer on the cards.
It will be a major disappointment for Torino to lose him so soon after taking him to the club, particularly given how far he’s come on this season.
However, the appeal of playing in Europe for one of the biggest clubs in the world will likely be too much for the striker to ignore, but it just remains to be seen who can match the demands of Torino and persuade him it’s the right move for his career.