Despite already making astute moves in the free agent market, Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma want another player on the cheap in Andrea Belotti.
The Giallorossi has had a great transfer window, signing multiple players with very minimal spending. For instance, Jose Mourinho reunited with Nemanja Matic for the third time, bringing in the midfielder after his Man United deal expired. Previously, the Roma manager had worked with Matic at Chelsea and at Old Trafford.
In addition, AS Roma also won the Paulo Dybala free agent sweepstakes. The Argentine was without a club at the end of his Juventus deal and had plenty of Europe’s elite on his radar. Following drawn-out talks, Dybala signed a three-year deal with Roma. His unveiling made for some spectacular shots, too.
The team from the Italian capital have also profited from some departures. They sold Robin Olson to Aston Villa and Alessandro Florenzi to AC Milan for undisclosed fees. However, Henrikh Mkhitaryan did join Inter Milan for free.
But Jose Mourinho is not finished yet. He wants the AS Roma hierarchy to get another free agent, striker Andrea Belotti.
AS Roma chase another free agent coup
According to LaRoma24, the Italian giants are edging close to a deal with free agent forward Andrea Belotti. The Italian has reportedly held talks about Roma’s project with Mourinho. Belotti has also discussed the move with Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, as the pair are good friends.
If the move goes through, Roma will have beaten Valencia, Toronto, and others to the Italian’s signature. Also in the hunt were Premier League sides West Ham, Newcastle, and Everton, who miss out on a free Richarlison replacement. RomaPress expects Belotti to deputise for Tammy Abraham, who had an excellent debut season in Serie A.
Any move must come after another player has left the club, though. So, forward Eldor Shomurodov may leave the eternal city, according to Goal Italy.
Although Belotti had an underwhelming 2021/22, his previous track record suggests that this could be a smart move.
A proven goalscorer
Sadly, injuries disrupted Belotti’s season last term. The former Torino man missed 14 matches with a thigh injury, so only grabbed eight goals in 2021/22. However, his previous campaigns had made Belotti a man in demand.
Back in the 2016/17 season, the Italian scored a brilliant 26 Serie A goals in 35 appearances. He then followed this up by hitting double figures in the next four seasons. Due to his impressive performances, Belotti harboured interest from Milan, Chelsea, and Manchester United, per Forbes – but his £100 million release clause put off buyers.
Unfortunately, a downturn in form last season cooled interest in Belotti, who was a member of the Euro 2020 winning Italy side. Jose Mourinho will not complain though; he may have picked up a quality striker for next to nothing.
After winning a trophy for the first time in years, AS Roma fans may start looking towards the top of the table in 2022/23. The expectation will surely be top four and a Champions League berth at the very least.
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