Whilst by all reports the Italian was getting his head down and training hard at Liverpool, Mario Balotelli has indeed been swiftly moved on from his Anfield purgatory and landed in Nice via a free-transfer.
Having signed for the Merseyside club just 2 years prior for the princely sum of £16m, the once so called “Super Mario” has endured a turgid spell with the side, culminating in a single goal and an unsucceful loan spell at AC Milan. Having seen success in the rehibilation of the similarly mercurial Hatem Ben Arfa last season, the French outfit have been tpped as the ideal tonic to Balotelli’s flagging career.
Speaking on his new aquisition, club President Jean-Pierre Rivère had this to say (translated).
“We are very pleased to welcome Mario, We hope that Nice, in a family atmosphere, he will find the pleasure of the game.
We know him and us, that nothing will be easy but with the desire and, hopefully, the support of all our fans, we will allow it to flourish and bring his talent to the service of the team.
We are still a construction club. Our progress is not done by step. We hope a good season with our workforce in the different competitions we have to play ” .
Mario Balotelli will train with the side today and officially presented to the press on Friday.
With his keen eye for goal, pace to burn and quick feet, it seems almost absurd for the player to have wasted such a dazzling skill set over the last five years. With a media attention on him and no large price tag weighing him down, lets up hope we see the best of Mario again.