Torino president Urbano Cairo has responded to criticism from supporters regarding the imminent transfer of Raoul Bellanova to Atalanta. The move has sparked outrage among Granata fans, who are unhappy with the club’s transfer policy.
Cairo defended his decision, stating, “He wanted to leave. I don’t keep players against their will. We have many other valuable players. I’ve invested 72 million euros of my own money into Torino! I’m not a bottomless pit.”
Bellanova, who joined Torino last summer for 7 million euros from Cagliari after a loan spell at Inter Milan, made 41 appearances for the club, scoring once and providing 8 assists. His transfer to Atalanta is reportedly worth 25 million euros, including bonuses.
This transfer comes on the heels of another significant departure, with defender Alessandro Buongiorno moving to Napoli for 35 million euros. The back-to-back sales of key players have left Torino fans frustrated and questioning the club’s ambitions.
To replace Bellanova, Torino is bringing Norwegian full-back Marcus Pedersen back to Italy from Dutch club Feyenoord. The deal is structured as a loan with an obligation to buy for a total of 4.5 million euros. Pedersen, who spent last season on loan at Sassuolo, is set to sign a three-year contract with an option for an additional year.
In addition to Pedersen’s arrival, Torino has secured the future of Albanian-born Kosovan winger Mergim Vojvoda with a new contract until June 2027.
