West Ham United need a new striker and they have one month to get at least one through the door.
Thus far West Ham’s pursuit of Maxi Gomez, Salomon Rondon and a host of other targets has proved fruitless.
Manuel Pellegrini released Andy Carroll and sold Lucas Perez to Alaves.
And now the Chilean has sanctioned the sale of Marko Arnautovic too (Sky Sports).
Pellegrini forced to switch his attention elsewhere
It leaves West Ham short.
But there appears to be another alternative in the frame for the Hammers, Italian striker Andrea Belotti.
West Ham were said to have had a £35million bid for the Italian striker rejected in January (Football Italia).
Torino had slapped an eye-watering £88million buyout clause on Belotti’s head when they signed him from Palermo for just £5m back in 2015.
Italian journalist quizzed by Hammers over Belotti
But West Ham redoubled their efforts to sign Gomez since.
That particular pursuit has not panned out as West Ham would have hoped.
And so West Ham’s sizeable Italian contingent Martelliditalia quizzed one of the country’s leading football journalists on the Torino star Belotti’s availability.
The Hammers supporter group, which has its own dedicated website, asked Matteo Pedrosi on Twitter to confirm details of Belotti’s buyout clause.
“Hello Matteo… can you explain to us how much Belotti is currently being (valued at) and whether he has a termination clause?,” Martelliditalia asked.
To which the journalist responded: “Belotti has a 100m rescission clause € valid only for foreign countries. Clause aside, I think from 60-65m € you can try to start a talk with Torino, while remaining that the transfer of the player is not in the plans of Torino.”
Insider confirms Belotti is on Pellegrini’s list
That conversation sparked a series of West Ham fans asking reliable insider ExWHUemployee whether Belotti was a target.
And the Twitter and radio personality confirmed he is on Pellegrini’s list.
“Yes if Gomez falls through he (Belotti) is on the list of potentials,” ExWHUemployee said.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
