English Premiership
Balotelli to leave City for Milan
2013-01-29 18:44
Rome - Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini confirmed on Tuesday that Mario
Balotelli is set to return to Italy to join AC Milan, who had announced
his transfer earlier in the day.
Milan said the controversial
striker would arrive in Italy on Wednesday and undergo a medical
examination before signing a four-and-a-half-year contract.
Reports
in the Italian media said Milan would pay €20 million to acquire the services of a player who previously
played for their city rivals, Inter Milan.
Speaking after City's
0-0 draw at Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League on Tuesday,
Mancini told Sky Sports: "Both clubs are talking about him. I think that
maybe tomorrow they can close it. Mario will go in for a medical."
Balotelli
has had a chequered time at City, making the headlines as much for his
exploits off the pitch as for what he has achieved on it, but Mancini
said he would be missed.
"We are very sorry (to lose him)," said the Italian.
"We
love Mario like a guy, we love Mario like a player, but I think he had
this big chance to back to Italy and play for a big club like Milan.
"I
hope Mario can continue to improve and can show he is ready because I
think if he works hard, he can continue his growing and he can become
one of the best players in Europe."
Earlier, the in-house Milan
Channel announced: "Mario Balotelli to Milan, the player will come
tomorrow (Wednesday) for his medical and sign his contract."
Milan
director Umberto Gandini confirmed the deal, saying on Twitter:
"Transfer agreement for Balotelli signed with Manchester City. Medical
is tomorrow in Milan, then personal terms until 2017 will be signed."
City
paid Inter Milan €22 million for the Italy striker in August 2010, but
his time at the club has been peppered with controversy.
Balotelli,
22, will reportedly earn an annual net salary of €4.5 million
during a spell with Milan that is scheduled to run until 2017.
The
striker, who scored three times for Italy on their run to the final of
Euro 2012, returns to his home country in a bid to relaunch a career
that has gradually lost momentum this season.
He has scored just once in 14 Premier League appearances, as well as once in the League Cup and once in the Champions League.
Balotelli's
departure would leave City with only three senior strikers in Sergio
Aguero, Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko, but Mancini says there is not
enough time to sign a replacement before the transfer window closes on
Thursday.
"I don't think so because we have two days and it's
difficult to buy a good player," he said. "In this moment, I don't think
we can."
Despite his contributions to the 2011 FA Cup success and
last season's dramatic league title triumph, Balotelli's
two-and-a-half-year spell at City looks destined to be remembered for a
spate of controversial incidents.
At the beginning of this month,
he was pictured apparently having a bust-up with Mancini during a
training session, while in December he tried to take his club to court
to contest their decision to fine him for his poor disciplinary record
last season, before eventually dropping his appeal.
Balotelli was
also caught up in numerous off-field incidents, including having to
escape from his own house in October 2011 after starting a fire caused
by letting off fireworks in his bathroom.