The “Belotti Effect” shows: Two clubs are considering Patrick Cutrone

This is certainly not a great time for Patrick Cutrone, who is seeing little playing time up front at Monza, as he’s been sidelined by breakout star Gustavo Varela, who also scored on Saturday—albeit on a penalty kick—in Bologna. The former Milan player also had his chance from the penalty spot, but his shot was saved by home goalkeeper Skorupski. At the start of the season, Monza coach Ivan Juric had been clear: “I see Cutrone as a center forward,” and it’s no coincidence that at the Dall’Ara stadium, he brought him on as a substitute for the Portuguese striker.

It can’t be ruled out that in January, the Como-born player, born in 1998, might move on again: Ascoli is considering this possibility; Andrea Belotti’s performance at Modena is an example of how the Serie B can breathe new life into strikers who get less playing time in Serie A than they’d like. Even the ambitious newly promoted Benevento could be in the mix.

The missed penalty in the 80th minute—awarded for a handball by Zortea—cost Monza dearly: with Bologna leading 2-1, Cutrone could have tied the game, which Monza had opened up as early as the 4th minute. For Juric’s team, this marked their third loss in their last four matches, while their only win during that stretch came against Cagliari. Even on the eve of their home match against Napoli, Varela was listed as the first-choice striker in the projected lineups, supported by Robinson and Dany Mota.

Cutrone arrived in Brianza on January 30, when Monza was still playing in Serie B, on loan from Como with an obligation to buy should certain conditions be met. He came off the back of a stint at Parma, where he had been a regular starter until November before slipping down the pecking order under Carlos Cuesta, logging just 88 minutes in the Ducali’s last eight matches. In Serie B, the forward had already made his mark with Como: 9 goals in his first season and 14 goals with 5 assists in his second, which earned him promotion with the Larians and the Serie B MVP award.

Cutrone’s prominence in the attacking lineup had, in fact, been one of the reasons for Andrea Petagna’s departure, as he moved to Pisa on a permanent transfer this summer: Juric had, in fact, already identified the former Milan player as his first choice at center forward, relegating the Trieste-born striker—who had scored 14 goals in the red-and-white jersey—to a marginal role. Now, however, the season for the former Rossonero—who boasts 169 appearances and 28 goals in Serie A, as well as one appearance for the senior national team and 11 goals with the Under-21 squad—has taken a different turn than expected.