Torino have had a bid for Bournemouth striker Joshua King turned down, according to Simon Johnson of The Athletic.
King has made it clear to Bournemouth that he wants to leave the Championship club in order to secure football at a higher level.
Both Sevilla and Fiorentina are also keen on signing the Norway international before the deadline tonight.
Bournemouth Reject Torino’s Joshua King Bid
Cherries Reluctant to Sell
Bournemouth’s relegation to the Championship appears to have forced King to look for playing time elsewhere.
The 28-year-old came close to joining Manchester United earlier this year only to be thwarted by Bournemouth’s reluctance to sell.
Now it appears history could be repeating itself.
Bournemouth put a £30 million price tag on King at the beginning of 2020, but could be forced to reduce the price with his contract expiring soon.
And if King wants to leave, he could negotiate a pre-contract for a free transfer as soon as January.
Since joining in 2015, the Norway international has played a crucial role throughout the Cherries’ Premier League campaigns.
But now that’s no longer on the horizon, he could be taking his talent abroad and Bournemouth could struggle to replace him.
And that is exactly why King could expect a fight on his hands today.
King to Italy?
The idea of Joshua King moving abroad is a very strange one.
Having spent most of his career in England, we could be set to see King take a new league and country by storm.
And since Manchester United have ended their interest, this could be the next best thing for him.
It seems King has no appetite for playing in the Championship and a move to Torino is a perfect chance for him to elevate his career.
For Torino, the player would certainly play a key role in their desire to stay in Italy’s top league.
But having already lost Nathan Ake and Callum Wilson this summer, Bournemouth, it appears, have other ideas.
With one bid already rejected, it could be a statement they have no plans to sell anyone else.
Only time will tell, but it’s looking like an interesting day for all involved.
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