Mario Balotelli and the new Manchester City - Corriere dello Sport

I have been fortunate enough to have been on holiday in Italy for the past week or so and, whilst that means this blog has suffered, it no longer means I am out of contact with what City are up to.

In not too distant times a lot of the European press would refer to our near neighbours (I am not talking about Stockport) as 'Manchester', so to find pages upon pages of coverage talking about us on first name terms, 'City', is yet another indicator of how the status of the club is changing across the world. To use Friday as an example, both the Corriere dello Sport and the Gazzetta dello Sport led with City on the front page and double page coverage on the inside pages. Obviously the subject matter had a part to play here.

Mario Balotelli is a phenomenon in Italy, for reasons both good and bad. Tipped by many on his break-through to be the great future star of Italian football, a turbulent relationship with Mourinho and subsequently the Inter fans (not improved by his wearing of an AC Milan shirt on television, his boyhood club) has ended in the previously inconceivable situation where Inter would be willing to listen to offers for him. Massimo Moratti was quoted in La Repubblica as saying 'I don't like it, but I will think about it.'

In the Corriere's poll, 51% answered 'no' to 'is it right that Balotelli has been put on the market?' About as even as it gets. The argument is one of talent versus attitude. He is only twenty next month and the potential, if not current ability, is greatly impressive, but he will have to be well managed not to self-destruct. As the lady who sold the paper said: 'his attitude is bad on and off the pitch, it will be good for him to leave Italy' and reunite with Mancini (who she adores!). This is the hope, and I believe there is definitely something in it: that a loved Balotelli and a happy Balotelli could well become one of the stars of the European game - and under his 'father figure', Mancini, the talent could be nurtured into just that.

Saturday's paper was so convinced of this deal happening that it ran with 'Balotelli to play against Inter on 31st July', in allusion to our upcoming friendly with his current club. According to their reports only the particulars of the deal need to be agreed, and on their speculation this could yet take some time: €25m? €30m? €34m? a fee plus Micah Richards? a deal with Robinho? an agreement to leave Maicon alone? an agreement to let them purchase Dzeko as a replacement? I think it is fair to say that there is still a good deal of speculation to be had before a deal is, or isn't, done. They had Monday as the day that a decisive offer would be laid down, so we shall have to wait and see whether that was the case or not.

They also report the Kolarov deal, as has been widely reported here as well, as done - although the Lazio manager said he has gone, the Lazio president is apparently holding out for another million.

Included in Friday's double page focus on Balotelli and Manchester City was a possible starting eleven graphic for 'Il nuovo Manchester City':

Hart

Boateng, Luiz, K. Toure, Kolarov

Y. Toure, Barry

Balotelli, Tevez, Silva

Dzeko

A quite formidable line-up. With Mancini, Lombardo, Salsano, Carminati and Battara on the coaching staff, it is perhaps not that great a surprise we are getting the same treatment as an Italian club in their papers, especially considering the Balotelli interest, but it does prove that the waves we are making in the Premier League are hitting other shores.