Italy's "Bad boy" may be back for one more spell at the Premier League. Mario Balotelli is yet to solve his future at OGC Nice, and one of his best options is to join a third EPL side this winter.
Reports from Italy suggest that the 28-year-old striker, who previously played for Manchester City and Liverpool, may be en route to sign a deal with Rafa Benitez's Newcastle. The Italian footballer is yet to score a single goal this season, but his poor form may have been fueled by his complicated relationship with Nice's boss, Patrick Vieira.
After two successful seasons with the black and red side, Balotelli wanted to leave the club during the summer transfer window, but Nice refused to sell "Super Mario" to a Ligue 1 side. This time, the possibility of seeing him joining the Magpies even caused Patrick Vieira to step up and give some credibility to the reports coming in from Italy.
"I have given Mario a few extra days off to think about his future and ewhat he wants to do. He's under contract here and everything is possible, if we can come to an agreement who knows," Vieira said.
Balotelli's deal with Nice ends this summer, and even if his deal with Newcastle fails to materialize, there is still one more option to keep playing in the French top flight, as Olympique Marseille is keen on adding the player to their roster.
Nevertheless, Vieira sent a warning to all teams interested in signing the player, since he believes that his erratic behaviour may prevent him from being the player everyone wants to see.
"When it comes to Mario, I ant to answer back or to slam him up against the wall. I'd also like to leave him hanging by his collar on the coat rack, but I can't, as I'm no longer a player. I don't want to say something I'll regret. I am trying to be constructive in my comments to him," Vieira said.
Balotelli scored 21 goals in 70 Premier League games during his spells with Man City and Liverpool. While his recent form hints that it would be quite a gamble to bet on the player, maybe a change of scenery would be everything he needs to show the form that earned him a spot back in the Italian National Team.
