Former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has claimed that he will dismantle Serie A when he signs for a team in a recent stream on Twitch.
Balotelli, 34, is no stranger to headlines and has found himself in them once again after his strong comments in response to comparisons between him and Venezia striker Joel Pohjanpalo. The former AC Milan striker was being compared to Paohjanpalo and, rather uncharacteristically, had a fiery response.
Balotelli claimed it was easy to attack him due to him not currently having a team, saying :
“But you’re a ******* because I don’t have a team right now. It’s easy to attack me now, attack me when I start playing again. What are you saying? Just because I wasn’t in Serie A, everything I’ve done doesn’t count? But go away… you and Serie A. It’s a promise when I sign for a club, I’ll dismantle this Serie A for you”.
So, who could Balotelli be signing for?
The former Liverpool and Manchester City striker is not shy of potential suitors, and it is claimed that he has declined several offers from different leagues, with Serie A side Genoa reportedly interested in the free agent. Additionally, it is also claimed that Torino have named the Italy international striker on a shortlist to replace their main striker, Duvan Zapata after he suffered an ACL tear earlier this month.
Would Balotelli make a positive impact?
With Balotelli being linked to both Torino and Genoa, let’s take a look at whether he will make a positive impact on either of these sides. Torino currently sit in seventh place in Serie A, just two points off the UEFA Champions League places. Il Toro, currently managed by Paolo Vanoli, tend to play with a strike partnership of Duvan Zapata and former Southampton striker Che Adams, who are both currently tied as the side’s top scorers, both with three goals.
With Zapata out injured for the foreseeable future, Torino may turn to the services of veteran Balotelli to fill the hole left by Zapata. However, with the club potentially looking to secure European qualification this season, they may look to explore other options with a lower risk attached.
Genoa, however, feels like a more feasible option. Genoa have lost four of their last five games and currently sit in 18th place, occupying the final relegation place. Alberto Gilardino’s side are in desperate need of goals, with just five scored in the league this season and no player scoring more than once. With Balotelli clearly eager to prove he still has what it takes to perform in Italy’s top division, Genoa may turn to ‘Super Mario’ to rekindle his form from years gone by and potentially lead them to survival in Serie A.