Newcastle ‘considering’ incredible move for Balotelli

Robin Bairner

• 19 Jan 2022 03:22 CST
• 5 min read

Newcastle could make a remarkable move to sign Mario Balotelli from Turkish outfit Adana Demirspor, according to Murat Sancak, president of the Turkish side

The Premier League club are chasing new faces in a bid to ensure success in their fight against relegation and have already added Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid and Chris Wood from Burnley to their squad this month.

More reinforcements, though, are expected, with Balotelli a possible addition in attack.

Trending

Liverpool star to permanently replace Mbappe as France captain

Premier League managers: Full list of current bosses

Which football managers have been sacked this season?

“Newcastle United were considering signing Balotelli, but so far they have not made us an offer,” president of Demirspor Murat Sancak has claimed to Fanatik.

“An Arab team made an offer for Balotelli yesterday. We refused. We said: ‘We do not intend to sell.’

“There is an exit clause in his contract. I will not tell you the number.”

What’s happened to Mario Balotelli?

These reports are surprising given the calibre of names that Newcastle have been linked with in the transfer window and the direction in which Balotelli’s career has taken since leaving Manchester City.

Balotelli was a member of the City side that won their first Premier League title in 2011/12 but was involved in a number of off-field controversies, ranging from throwing darts at academy players at the club’s training ground to letting off fireworks inside the bathroom of his house.

Amidst this background, there was a sense that the forward, who is now 31, failed to reach his potential and he proved a flop in spells at Liverpool and Milan.

He enjoyed something of a career renaissance in France with Nice and then Marseille, but he elected to return to Italy and was unsuccessful with Brescia and Monza.

His time in Turkey with Adana Demirspor, however, has proven to be more promising, with a return of seven goals in 18 league matches suggesting the forward is in the midst of another purple patch.

A move to Newcastle, though, appears unlikely given the baggage that the colourful Balotelli carries with him.