Mario Balotelli has been reportedly linked with heading back to England from Italy, signing for not a Premier League team but a Championship club instead.
Reports in his homeland are saying that he could potentially be about to sign for newly relegated Watford, who are now enduring life in the second tier of English football.
The 30-year-old striker has played for the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, also winning the Premier League, but now he currently plays for Brescia. He also stunned Germany quite some time back, don’t forget that celebration…
However it would seem he’s set for a return back to England, with Watford being mooted as a possible destination for the Italian before the transfer window shuts later this evening, according to Calciomercato.
The forward still has two years left on his deal, however Brescia ended up getting relegated to Serie B last season.
Balotelli put the ball in the back of the net on just five occasions during his 19 appearances for the club as they dropped down from the Italian top flight.
He has endured a frustrating spell at Brescia, the club even updated his medical details on their official website to claim the striker was eight kilos overweight.
Balotelli was also refused entry into the training ground as sessions resumed following the lifting of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in Italy. He has not featured for the club since the 9th of March and looks to have already played his last game.
Fellow Italian outfit Genoa have also reportedly shown an interest in Balotelli while The Athletic have reported that a source close to the player refused to be drawn on Balotelli’s future.
Watford, who are now managed by Vladimir Ivić, have already signed Glenn Murray and Stipe Perica in attack this summer but were left frustrated at many missed chances in their 1-0 defeat by Reading at the weekend.
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His career has been shrouded in controversy while playing at Manchester City, he almost came to blows with-then manager Roberto Mancini.
Speaking on their encounter Mancini said: “I told him, if you played with me 10 years ago I would give you every day maybe one punch in your head.”
Also at City, he was involved in a car crash, writing off his £120,000 Audi R8 when he collided with a BMW.
Despite passing a breathalyser test, police did find £5,000 in cash on Balotelli.
When asked what he was doing with so much money on him, the Italian replied: “Because I’m rich.”
He also decided to set his bathrooms on fire with fireworks at 1am back in 2011, as you do. Balotelli scored twice the day after the fire at his house, whilst a party was ongoing.
Here’s the damage Mario Balotelli did to his £3m mansion when he let off fireworks indoors http://t.co/S7YZZ8fBbD pic.twitter.com/jVaXhwH58g
— Complex UK (@complex_uk) November 3, 2014
After scoring his first goal in a 6-1 victory at Old Trafford, Balotelli revealed his infamous, perfectly-captioned t-shirt with the slogan “Why always me?” Nothing could have been more apt at that moment in time.
At Inter Milan, he was accused by then-manager Jose Mourinho of not trying hard enough in training and had a number of disciplinary problems, with several senior players also criticising him.
After moving to Manchester City, Balotelli was punished for throwing darts at a youth player, had a number of fights with team-mates and was sent off four times in 17 months.
He told City’s website: “The newspapers for the story wrong about me and the fire at my house. I didn’t set any fireworks off, it was a friend of mine.
“I didn’t know anything about it until I heard shouting coming from the bathroom. Luckily, nobody was injured and my friend apologised for the damage to my house.
“It was a really stupid thing for him to do. Someone could have been really hurt and I was really, really angry with him about it.”
Regardless of who was to blame, firefighters needed breathing apparatus as they spent half an hour putting out the blaze, for which Balotelli was billed £400,000 by his landlord to cover repairs.
Fans reacted after seeing that Mario Balotelli is being linked with signing for a Championship club in Watford…
Christ I would have thought they would steer clear of him. He creates hell at every club he’s been at.
— Red (@RedRed196) October 5, 2020
The Year is 2020 & Mario Balotelli is On His Way To Watford? – What A Year !
??????#TransferDeadlineDay #WatfordFC pic.twitter.com/vr9KKQyjdH— Cheeky Chav (@TheCheekyChav) October 5, 2020
Can you imagine the scenes if he rocked up again at City on a free ? I’d love it! Bring that mad bastard back please!
— Aaron (@aaronharris08) October 5, 2020
Balotelli travelling to Luton for the away game. Wanting to fly there. Being told the nearest airport is Luton. Not caring. Driving up to Manchester so that he can fly in to Luton.
All while dressed as Santa.
In April.
— Handsome Nick (@Nicklo2k) October 5, 2020
Please get him in, this would be fucking hilarious
— IvićSZN (@WattyFC12345) October 5, 2020
This one will show us just how much of a say Ivic has in any player movement in or out. It would be brilliantly bonkers for a year but goes totally against Ivic’s ‘broken record’ ramblings about commitment and desire to play for the club.
— Andrew Mitchell (@1AndrewMitchell) October 5, 2020
Imagine Balotelli at the vic?
— WFC Josh? (@Josh60842197) October 5, 2020
I’d be amazed if this happens. Really can’t see that Balotelli is Ivic’s type of player.
— Steve Temple (@sptemple) October 5, 2020
Interesting. Can’t see it happening when we have Deeney, Gray, Welbeck, Success, Murray, Perica, Pedro etc etc. Unless some are shipped out today
— Waiting to go again (@illmindof1) October 5, 2020
Why are we more ambitious at signing players than we were in the Prem?????
— Lucas Hensel (@Lucas_1881_) October 5, 2020
No way. He’d undo everything Ivic is trying to achieve.
— David Spendla (@DavidSpendla) October 5, 2020
Get him in, bonfire night around the corner as well
— Darren Locke (@Lockey168) October 5, 2020
Can see Ballotelli & Ivic getting on like best mates after he’s walked around the pitch for another 45 minutes
— Alan…Alan…Alan (@ichbineineAlan) October 5, 2020
Balotelli to Watford is my favourite rumour of the day so far
— Alex Bullard (@AlexB_Bacon) October 5, 2020
For approximately 3 seconds I was fooled ?
— Alex de la Salle (@alexdelasalle) October 5, 2020
Fully got me for a second lmao
— Toby Ashdown (@TobyAshdown) October 5, 2020
— Rikki Aldridge (@RikkiAldridge) October 5, 2020
Hahahaha ffs
— Rachel (@rachel_sg) October 5, 2020
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