Manchester United make £70m Andrea Belotti offer as Jose Mourinho closes in on Torino striker

MANCHESTER UNITED are closing in on a £70million deal for Torino striker Andrea Belotti.

Jose Mourinho has been chasing the Italian international for the past six months as he looks to bring in a top class forward to his squad.

And reports in Italy claim super agent Jorge Mendes has flown to the country to negotiate the final terms with the Serie A club to seal a deal.

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, the paper who revealed United were signing Matteo Darmian from Torino, claim United have offered £70m to win the race for the 23-year-old's signature.

Mendes is in the country holding talks with AC Milan over a potential move to the San Siro for Chelsea star Diego Costa.

But they say he is also meeting officials from Torino working as a mediator on behalf of United to get the Belotti transfer over the line.

Mourinho is growing increasingly confident he has beaten Chelsea in the battle to land Belotti, who scored 28 goals in 38 games for his club last season.

He has established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in Europe and Blues boss Antonio Conte had been desperate to take him to Stamford Bridge.

But United have maintained a dialogue with Torino over the past few months and believe they are now on the verge of reaching an agreement.

Though he only extended his contract with the club until 2021 last year, it is understood the striker has told Torino he wants to take the opportunity to move on this summer.

And once United sealed Champions League qualification by winning the Europa League, it strengthened their chances of tempting him to Old Trafford.

There is understood to be an £88m release clause figure inserted in that agreement, but Torino are now willing to do business after telling United to increase their original £60m offer.

Mourinho has prioritised the search for a front-line striker after they lost Zlatan Ibrahimovic to a long-term knee injury.

He has also been tracking Real Madrid's unsettled star Alvaro Moratta and may still choose to push on with that transfer even if he is successful in landing Belotti.