Rumour: Arsenal and Liverpool target Balotelli poised for return to Premier League
Mario Balotelli is likely to return to the Premier League next season after growing increasingly exasperated by the racial abuse he’s been subject to in Italy, writes the Daily Mail.
The divisive yet talented forward spent three seasons at Manchester City following a €21.8 million move from Inter Milan in 2010.
In a 2012/13 Premier League season, the Italy international missed 11 games through suspension and was fined two weeks’ wages for an unacceptable disciplinary record.
City eventually cut their losses and agreed a €20 million deal with AC Milan in January 2013.
Since his return to the San Siro, however, Balotelli has suffered from further racially aggravated obloquy, including incidents as recent as Wednesday at Italy’s World Cup training camp in Coverciano.
Arsenal and Liverpool are though to be monitoring the 23-year-old’s availability, as both side’s look to strengthen their strike force ahead of a title push next season.
Although The Gunners are thought to be in talks with Real Madrid to sign Karim Benzema, they are also scheduling talks with Balotelli’s representatives to ascertain his situation.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will pursue Balotelli if Real Madrid make a concerted effort to sign Luis Suarez in the coming months.