Mario Balotelli: AC Milan and Juventus in Manchester City talks
Last updated on .From the section Football
Manchester City have held talks with AC Milan and Juventus about the sale of striker Mario Balotelli, but will only let him go if the Serie A clubs meet their valuation.
City value the Italian, 22, at around 24m euros (£21m) including add-ons.
Balotelli is not actively up for sale and City will not subsidise any of his salary should he leave the club.
Contrary to reports, Balotelli is with the squad that travelled to London for Tuesday's meeting with QPR.
Milan initiated talks with City over the Italy striker, and Juve subsequently made contact with the Premier League club to discuss buying Balotelli, who arrived in Manchester from Inter Milan in August 2010 for a fee in the region of £24m.
Earlier on Monday, City assistant manager David Platt had said Balotelli would not be moving to AC Milan this month.
"I don't think anything is going to happen," said Platt of a proposed January move.
"It's a shame the manager's not here. He might know more than me but as far as we are concerned I think he is still a Manchester City player.
And City manager Roberto Mancini had also insisted on Friday that the Italian, regularly linked with a return to Italy since he arrived in England in 2010, would not leave the club.
"It is not true. Mario stays. We didn't have any requests about Mario or other players," said Mancini.
The Italian also said it would be "difficult" to buy new players with so little time left in the transfer window.
"I don't know [if City will buy anyone] but we don't have enough players," he added. "We are 18 players now. We can't sell any players."
Balotelli - who has scored one league goal in 14 appearances this term - has courted controversy throughout his time in England, with the latest incident involving a training ground row with Mancini at the start of January.
AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani had stated that if City were to lower their valuation then a move could be on, but Mancini insisted the Italy international remained part of his long-term plans.
"Mario has another three years on his contract," he said.
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I am a Man City fan, living in Manchester. I offer to drive Mario Balotelli to the airport.
Best regards,
Dave Harris
Yes, I am on my second bottle of scotch
Won't be much of a loss to City if he goes in my opinion.
Lira.
You've missed the point. All those bad boys you mentioned (Cantona, Paolo Di Canio and Roy Keane) put the team first. Mario places himself before anybody else in the team. Therefore he's a liability and whatever talent he may possess as a footballer is washed away by the self indulgent waves of his own arrogance and self importance.
And I know Cantona was no shrinking violet!
Where were you on the Oldham thread?
Been on holiday?
Balo was found guilty because he was guilty. Deal with it.
Oh, all right, 40 Park Drive, non-tipped.
There is talent there, but it feels more and more buried by an attitude that doesn't seem to have matured in his time at Man City whatsoever.