A decade or so ago Italian clubs had the best strikers on the planet with each club boasting a forward line that frightened rivals across Europe. In the last few years the crumbling of the two Milan powerhouses has given clubs such as Torino the chance to rise and some world-class talent has been discovered within those teams. Andrea Belotti is the face of the new era. The 23-year-old has become one of the most in-demand strikers in the world having scored 38 times in 70 games for his club. There’s a lot to discuss when it comes to the Torino striker so let’s take a look at his dominant style of play.
Style of play
There was a time when Italy strikers bullied defenders and played with no fear, and the Italians have found the new leader of their strike force in Belotti. Think back to Christian Vieri; strong, physical and with only one thing on his mind, scoring goals. Belotti plays in a similar way, he’s an old-fashioned centre-forward in the sense that he loves to scrap with defenders, making him a particularly annoying player to come up against. The Italian can play a lone-striker, target-man type of role due to his aerial presence and his ability to hold of defenders and link up play.
He also enjoys playing in a front three or two as he has a deceptive turn of pace, almost like the Wayne Rooney of old. One minute he’s next to you, the next minute you’re on the floor and he’s in on goal. The 23-year-old has shown exceptional maturity. Torino needed to replace Ciro Immobile and Alessio Cerci but failed with Fabio Quagliarella before having to turn to Belotti, who played a part in 34% of the club’s record 72 goals last season (the most outside the top four in Serie A). Although most fans see him as a cuter Christian Benteke, I would argue that he’s proven he has a great touch, he can bulldoze past defenders and squeeze his way out of trouble and he has an exceptional eye for creating chances. In fact I believe he’s the complete striker, a player who is well suited to the Premier League and capable of dominating most defences.
Who is going to sign him?
So many strikers are being pursued by so many clubs in this transfer window that the limelight hasn’t been on Belotti, whose club is demanding about £63m for him. AC Milan is favourite to sign him but the overwhelming wealth of the Premier League means the top English clubs cannot be ruled out until a contract is signed. All of the top four are keen on him but with Chelsea missing out on Romelu Lukaku and Manchester City already boasting Sergio Aguero, his most likley role in the premier League would be as a like-for-like replacement for Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge.
Fun Fact
Andrea Belotti lives and dies by something his father once told him: “If you don’t leave the pitch absolutely exhausted, it means you haven’t given it your all.”
by Nubaid Haroon YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCtMg-fWm7awR41vM1GhVOkA Twitter: twitter.com/rambofyi
The post Andrea Belotti: The Scout Report appeared first on Felix Magazine.
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