Pink 96.9 fm your life, your music
Related Articles
Mario Balotelli threw a dinner party for his friends in Manchester city centre on Monday night, in what seemed to be a grand farewell.
Wearing lime green high-top trainers, and an equally garish T-shirt, the Liverpool flop enjoyed a night in the private dining room of Italian restaurant San Carlo, in the north west city.
The Italian striker looks likely to join French side Nice as Jurgen Klopp prepares for a late Anfield clear-out.
And Balotelli – who spent three seasons with City between 2010 and 2013 – was given one last present from the people of Manchester: a £60 parking ticket on his Mercedes 4×4.
With the transfer window closing imminently, the main focus before the deadline on Merseyside is trimming back the dead wood in the squad.
And Klopp is desperate to offload those who aren’t part of his plans for this season, with Balotelli set for a switch to Ligue 1.
The French club are keen on the 26-year-old, who has been training away from Liverpool’s squad while his future gets resolved.
Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere has been vocal in his praise for Balotelli, who was signed in 2014 for £16million by Brendan Rodgers, and reportedly met the forward to discuss a move.
Balotelli seemed to be facing an uncertain future earlier this month after Serie A side Sassuolo turned down the chance to sign the out-of-favour man.
The club’s chief executive Giovanni Carnevali told an Italian TV station: ‘[Balotelli’s agent, Mino] Raiola offered us Balotelli, but we refused.’
Balotelli was also said to have met with Monaco president Dmitry Rybolovle earlier in the transfer window.
