Title: Mario Balotelli could leave Manchester City for Milan this week
• City to discuss possible transfer with Milan on Monday
• Balotelli could go on loan if City refuse to drop to £31m price
• Balotelli could go on loan if City refuse to drop to £31m price
By Jamie Jackson / Dated: 20-1-13
Mario Balotelli was an unused substitute during Manchester City's win over Fulham and may feel Milan is his best option. Photograph: Paul Currie/Action Images
Mario Balotelli's Manchester City future could be decided this week, with talks expected between the champions and Milan on Monday. City are said to want £31m for the striker but the fee may end up nearer to the £24m he cost them from Internazionale in the summer of 2010.
Adriano Galliani, the Milan vice-president, has told Gazzetta dello Sport: "At the end of Friday, Manchester City still said €37m. We will see on Monday. Under these conditions, he will remain at Manchester City."
While neither City nor the Balotelli camp would comment on the claim, Galliani's statement can be considered a bargaining move as the transfer window enters its final few days. If the clubs fail to agree a price, there is an outside chance of a loan move which would see the striker at San Siro for the remainder of the season.
Previously, the 22-year-old had wanted to stay at City due to respect for Roberto Mancini, the manager, and his continued support, though there is now a recognition that a departure may be the only way for Balotelli to try and rebuild his career.
His time at the club has been troubled, with a catalogue of on- and off-field misdemeanours blighting progress. Mancini eventually became isolated in his support of a compatriot who was an asset in Italy's Euro 2012 campaign, where they reached the final.
Balotelli's commitment has also been questionable, with Mancini being forced to stand him down from the match-day squad at least twice due to problems with his attitude in training. There have been only seven starts in the Premier League and one goal – in a 2-0 win at Wigan in November – and last month Balotelli came close to taking City to a tribunal after refusing to accept a two-week fine for the ill-discipline that meant he missed 11 games due to suspension last term.
The striker only called off the tribunal on the morning and finally accepted the £340,000 fine. But a fortnight later he was pictured grappling with Mancini on the training ground after the manager tried to censure him for a dangerous tackle on Scott Sinclair.
With ongoing concern regarding who he surrounds himself with in his private life, this was the act that finally caused Mancini to accept he should be moved on.
Adriano Galliani, the Milan vice-president, has told Gazzetta dello Sport: "At the end of Friday, Manchester City still said €37m. We will see on Monday. Under these conditions, he will remain at Manchester City."
While neither City nor the Balotelli camp would comment on the claim, Galliani's statement can be considered a bargaining move as the transfer window enters its final few days. If the clubs fail to agree a price, there is an outside chance of a loan move which would see the striker at San Siro for the remainder of the season.
Previously, the 22-year-old had wanted to stay at City due to respect for Roberto Mancini, the manager, and his continued support, though there is now a recognition that a departure may be the only way for Balotelli to try and rebuild his career.
His time at the club has been troubled, with a catalogue of on- and off-field misdemeanours blighting progress. Mancini eventually became isolated in his support of a compatriot who was an asset in Italy's Euro 2012 campaign, where they reached the final.
Balotelli's commitment has also been questionable, with Mancini being forced to stand him down from the match-day squad at least twice due to problems with his attitude in training. There have been only seven starts in the Premier League and one goal – in a 2-0 win at Wigan in November – and last month Balotelli came close to taking City to a tribunal after refusing to accept a two-week fine for the ill-discipline that meant he missed 11 games due to suspension last term.
The striker only called off the tribunal on the morning and finally accepted the £340,000 fine. But a fortnight later he was pictured grappling with Mancini on the training ground after the manager tried to censure him for a dangerous tackle on Scott Sinclair.
With ongoing concern regarding who he surrounds himself with in his private life, this was the act that finally caused Mancini to accept he should be moved on.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/20/mario-balotelli-manchester-city-milan
Paulina Opoku-Gyimah says: Again I say; who's responsible for keeping our Mario in check? We all have someone who’s not afraid to tell us
the truth –no? For me it’s my parents. I was told from day one to behave myself
otherwise my parents would die [after they have killed me]. That threat/warning
and the look my mother used to [actually she still does it] with her left eye, –has
kept me in check all these years [Mercy]. Who/whom really has Master Balotelli's back and will he listen?
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