In a deal that took their spending past the £100m mark this summer alone, Man City completed the signing of Mario Balotelli from Champions League winners Inter Milan for £22.5m. The move, re-uniting Roberto Mancini with the undoubtedly talented youngster, gives Balotelli the chance to start afresh in a new country, having courted controversy in an almost continual basis in his adopted homeland.
Although many of the issues were outwith his control (including appalling crowd-related racism) there’s no denying the 20 year old has a petulance that’s hard to deal with. There’s the media spats with his own team-mates, throwing his shirt to the ground as a response to fan frustration, being photographed in an AC Milan top, and exasperating Jose Mourinho to the point where the Special One admitted:
I can’t accept that from someone who is still a nobody, who hasn’t made it yet, who is still a talent with potential. He needs to train harder, to understand what are the important things for me which I think are important for him and his future. Because if he was to train half as hard as players like Zanetti and the others, he would be one of the best in the world. But he only trains 25 percent as hard.
Clearly, if Balotelli applies himself at City, he should be a huge success. Judging by his volatile nature, however, that could be a big “if”, though given that he only turned 20 last week, there’s plenty time to apply himself in the right way, under a manager who perhaps knows him best of all.
The Statistics
Opinion…
Granville
“Mancini has his hands full with this surly Italian who even makes Craig Bellamy look good natured. It’s rather ironic now that he takes Bellamy’s seat in the dressing room.
His reputation of being a bad trainer wont go down too well with his team mates, and it’s up to Mancini’s man management skills to get the best out of him, because on his day he’s a great talent.
He can play anywhere along the front line, is a physical presence and can beat opponents with his blistering pace. Expect to see him starting in the near future, he’s Mancini’s man.”
Having failed a trial at Barcelona aged 15, Balotelli was picked up by Serie C club Lumezzane, where he played just two games before signing for Inter. Making his debut in the 2007-08 season, Balotelli has been accustomed to trophies, having subsequently won three Serie A titles on the trot up to the end of last season.
He played 59 league games for the current European Champions, scoring 20 goals and assisting 11 times. He’s no angel, though, picking up 17 yellow cards in during his time in Serie A. Balotelli also played 11 domestic cup games, grabbing 4 goals and 2 assists, and in the Champions League managed 2 goals and 3 assists in 14 outings.
The Prospects
Whether it’s 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-1-2, Roberto Mancini looks to be assembling a squad capable of playing different systems (dependant on both who and where they are playing) and Balotelli, like this summer’s previous four signings, is an adaptable player who can slot into a variety of positions. Subsequently, the number of starts expected could be around the 30 game mark although Mancini’s early season obsession with playing a three man central midfield, plus the arrival of James Milner appears to put that in doubt. Carlos Tevez, as skipper of the side, looks far more likely to earn those 30 starts right now and Balotelli will need to make a strong case for Mancini to change his system in the long-term.
He certainly has the tools to bring about that change. His pace, technique and physical presence could be an ideal foil for Carlos Tevez up front, which puts question marks against the futures of Emmanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz and Jo, with Craig Bellamy already exiting Eastlands for home town club Cardiff City.
Mancini’s enthusiasm regarding the signing certainly suggests his confidence in Balotelli is absolute:
“I’ve known Mario for three years and I had enough confidence to put him in the first team when he was 17. He can play on the wing, as a first striker, a second striker. He’s a fantastic player and I genuinely believe in one or two years he will be one of the best players in the world. I am very happy to be working with him again. His style of play will suit the Premier League, and because he is still so young there is a big chance for him to improve. He is a strong and exciting player, and City fans will enjoy watching him.”
Guaranteed starts, along with his spectacular set-piece ability, would make Balotelli -priced at £9m in Fantasy Premier League (FPL)- one for the Watchlist. Whether he can acheive those starts and out-perform the likes of Carlos Tevez is another matter entirely.
Last week Balotelli took to the field in City’s colours for the first time, and, almost inevitably, it was a debut full of drama; in a thirty-three minute Europa Cup appearance away to Timisoara, the youngster grabbed the game’s only goal, then subsequently pick up a yellow card for aggressive behaviour. On a positive note, at least, one could say, he stayed true to character. Having missed out on the opportunity to make his debut against Liverpool with a knock to his knee sustained in that Europa League game, we can only await for his return to fitness and his impact on the Premier League which could come as early as the weekend trip to Sunderland.
Further Reference
Wikipedia
Club Stats
First Interview as City Player
Best of Balotelli YouTube