Harry Kane’s future at Tottenham Hotspur is likely to be a contentious subject this summer.
The 27-year-old talisman is entering his peak years and will be desperate to add a piece of silverware to his goal-laden career so far – something he may well not achieve in north London.
And according to Mundo Deportivo earlier this week, the England international wants to leave Spurs this summer as La Liga giants Barcelona eye him up as an alternative to Erling Haaland.
Would Belotti be a good replacement if Kane leaves?
Yes, sign him up!
No way would he!
In the past, Kane has never ruled out an exit from his boyhood club. He told Sky Sports 13 months ago: “It all depends on what happens as a team and how we progress as a team. So it’s not a definite I’m going to stay there forever – but it’s not a no either.
He’ll be a hard man for Jose Mourinho and Daniel Levy to replace, but one of their former targets could prove to be the solution amid fresh claims over his price tag.
Earlier this year, La Stampa (via Tuttomercatoweb) claimed that Spurs were keen on Torino forward Andrea Belotti as he seems a perfect fit for Premier League football, and now they’ve been given a boost.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the 27-year-old could be available for just €25m (£22m), having once been valued double that.
Kane is the complete centre-forward – he can score with both feet, with his head, from outside the box and from inside. And Belotti is very similar.
It is perhaps a surprise that the Italy international has remained at Torino given his goalscoring form over the last few seasons. In six straight years, the 5 foot 11 beast has hit at least ten league goals, with a career-best of 26 coming in the 2016/17 campaign, via Transfermarkt.
His tally of 103 goals in 219 appearances means he has found the net once in every two games, not too far back from Kane’s one goal every 1.5 matches record for Spurs.
Of course, the £108m-rated sensation is practically irreplaceable but for just £22m, Belotti would be as close to ideal as you’d ever get.
Current Spurs shot-stopper Joe Hart enjoyed a spell at Torino and waxed lyrical over his former teammate, he told Gianluca Di Marzio: “Andrea is similar to all the great strikers, English and not. It’s hard to compare him to someone else because he’s special. He’s Belotti and that’s it. He has instinct for goals, personality and he’s a team player: he’s always focused on his team and plays hard to help it.”
Whilst the £36m-rated goal machine could also help fill the leadership void left behind by Kane, should he depart, as he’s led the Bulls since 2017 and according to president Urbano Cairo, he’s a “real captain.”
If Kane is to leave north London anytime soon, then Levy must look to reignite interest in Belotti. There aren’t many other prolific scorers available for such a cheap price tag, so the Tottenham chairman should certainly pounce.
AND in other news, Spurs must regret not signing 28 y/o with 10 G/A since January…