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Newcastle have failed with an attempt to sign Torino striker Andrea Belotti, who reportedly wants to wait for a dream move elsewhere to open up.

The Magpies have had a mixed transfer window so far, their first since their Saudi-led takeover. While they got off to a fast start by bringing in Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood, progress has since slowed.

Manager Eddie Howe admitted last week that his club had a “frustrating” week. Indeed, they failed with attempts to sign centre-backs Diego Carlos and Sven Botman.

However, Howe revealed on Friday that Newcastle are now close to a third signing. That could well be Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, while the Magpies are also targeting a new centre-back and striker.

Indeed, Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah is the leading candidate to bolster Newcastle’s front line.

According to Calciomercato, though, the Magpies have also failed with a loose offer for Torino star Belotti.

Newcastle did not make a transfer bid. However, they reportedly offered the 28-year-old a contract worth between €7million (£5.8million) and €8million (£6.6million) per season.

Belotti, who has played 41 times for Italy, moved to Torino in 2015 from Palermo. Since then, he has scored 107 goals for the club in 238 games.

He is also the Serie A side’s captain following his impressive run at the club.

Belotti has received a similar proposal from Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, but he only sees AC Milan as his next club.

Still, that move partly relies on talks between Milan chiefs Frederic Massara and Paolo Maldini, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

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The 40-year-old is still going strong in Serie A with eight goals in 15 games this season. Indeed, he signed a new one-year deal in April. But while he wants to sign another such deal, Milan will tell him that they cannot guarantee him regular game time anymore.

Milan are looking to the future, with Belotti a potential target alongside the likes of centre-back Sven Botman and midfielder Renato Sanches.

No Belotti, but Newcastle busy

Nketiah looks the more likely Newcastle striker target heading into the final days of the January transfer window.

The Arsenal star and England Under-21 international is into the final six months of his deal. He has so far rejected a contract offer from the Gunners.

At centre-back, meanwhile, Brighton’s Dan Burn and West Ham’s Issa Diop are the latest targets.

In fact, a West Ham centre-back deal could yet hand Newcastle a chance at landing Diop.

The post Newcastle bluntly rejected as impressive contract for 107-goal striker fails to stop dream move appeared first on TEAMtalk.