Chelsea Transfer News: Andrea Belotti Bid Reportedly Rejected, Latest Rumours

Chelsea have reportedly seen a bid worth €60 million (£51 million) plus add-ons for Torino striker Andrea Belotti turned down following the Italian's breakout season in Serie A.

Former Juventus manager turned Blues boss Antonio Conte appears to have the hitman in his sights after Italian newspaper Tuttosport (h/t ESPN FC's Jack Rathborn) reported on Chelsea's rejected offer for the Italy international.

Metro's Chris Davie sourced Tuttosport and added Chelsea's offer included add-ons and performance-related bonuses worth £34 million, bringing the total value of the bid up to £85 million.

Belotti has enjoyed a spectacular second season with Torino after joining the club from Palermo in 2015, and Squawka highlighted his challenge for Serie A's top scorer award after netting 24 times in 28 games this term:

The 23-year-old has a contract in Turin that runs until the summer of 2021, meaning even cash-rich Chelsea may struggle to convince Torino to part ways with their talisman this summer.

That plight is made all the more difficult when one takes into account Belotti's release clause, which applies exclusively to clubs based outside Italy, according to beIN Sports correspondent Tancredi Palmeri:

Per Rathborn's report, Calcinate-born Belotti is said to have a "great affection for the city of Turin," and it's at Torino the striker has enjoyed his meteoric rise, including making his Italy debut last year under manager Gian Piero Ventura.

Belotti has the tools to do well in a Chelsea lineup, too, considering just how powerful the 6' totem is in the air, per OptaPaolo, and how he could capitalise on a system that relies heavily on the strength of its wingers:

There may just be a void to fill at Stamford Bridge this summer, too, in the event Chinese Super League club Tianjin Quanjian revive interest in Blues frontman Diego Costa, as reported by The Telegraph's Matt Law.

The Chinese outfit looked ready to buy the forward in January, but Costa told Spanish radio show El Larguero in March that he could still make the move to east Asia, per Law's report: "Anything can happen. Why not? You never know. Now I'm happy at Chelsea, but if tomorrow the Chinese come and Chelsea tell me I have to go, I will no longer want to stay with them."

It's understandable that Conte—who brought in Marcos Alonso from Fiorentina last summer—would return to his native Serie A for reinforcements this summer, considering that's the field he undoubtedly knows best.

However, he can't have picked many more difficult targets to lure away from their Italian setting, as Torino batten down the hatches for a wave of summer interest in one of Serie A's most valuable players.

This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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