Mario Balotelli

Mario Balotelli extends his contract!

admin — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:33:37 +0000

Mario Barwuah Balotelli (Super Mario) has today extended his contract until 2011.

He will now earn £1m per season.

The striker blasted his way to recognition in the peninsula with a Coppa Italia quarter-final double against Juventus.

Balotelli had been on a youth salary, earning just £60,000 per year.

There had been rumours that Chelsea were considering a swoop, but it now seems that Balotelli’s future lies in Inter!

Balotelli remain Inter’s

admin — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:34:15 +0000

Inter’s teen sensation Mario Balotelli is ready to sign a contract extension with the Beneamata and has set some ambitious targets.

At the age of 17, Balotelli stole the headlines with a crucial brace in last term’s Coppa Italia quarter-final triumph over Juventus.

And the gifted youngster played an increasingly important role in Roberto Mancini’s attack, often beating David Suazo and Hernan Crespo to a starting shirt.

Despite insisting that he could leave and showing little attachment to the Nerazzurri shirt while negotiating his first full senior contract, Balotelli does now seem ready to commit to the Italian champions.

“There is an agreement for a contract renewal,” he told the Corriere dello Sport.

“I want to thank Mancini for giving me the chance to play, but Jose Mourinho is a great Coach and he won’t take age into consideration.

“My main objective is the Champions League and I also can’t wait to represent Italy.

“I have suffered a great injustice in that I was born in Italy and have always lived here, but I have to wait until I am 18 to get a passport.”

The son of Ghanaian immigrants, Balotelli was born in Palermo before being entrusted to Italian parents by the courts.

In spite of living in the peninsula all his life, Super Mario has missed out on playing for the Azzurri at the Olympic Games as he doesn’t turn 18 until August 12 and can’t obtain the necessary citizenship documents. (C4)

After many rumors of last days, seem in the end surpassed every obstacle about the contract renewal of Mario Balotelli with Inter. TMW has so thought to ask to his agent Corrado Balotelli, some information. “The agreement with Inter has been reached, there isn’t the sign still, but will arrive in few days. Lack still some little details. Is not true that my brother will be sent on loan, at least would be sold in case not found an agreement for continue together, but fortunately the agreement has been reached”.

About Mourinho: Mario has still not know Mourinho, the first meeting will arrive in Brunico, when will start the retreat”. (tmw)

Mario earns new contract?

admin — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:42:11 +0000

Inter are edging closer to agreeing a contract extension with teen striking star Mario Balotelli.

At the tender age of 17, Palermo native Balotelli exploded into the nation’s consciousness with two decisive goals against Juventus in the quarter-finals of last term’s Coppa Italia.

Roberto Mancini opted to field the powerful hitman in place of David Suazo and Hernan Crespo at the end of last season and he seems to be on the road to superstardom.

However, Balotelli has repeatedly stressed that he feels no special attachment to Inter and has been targeted by a number of top sides, including Chelsea.

But the Nerazzurri have stepped up their efforts to tie Super Mario to San Siro and are reportedly willing to offer him a lucrative deal that expires in 2013.

As a youth player, Balotelli currently earns just £50,000 per year, but his new terms may see him net £1.1m with an annual increase.

By 2013, Balotelli would be earning around £2.5m per season should he opt to remain a Nerazzurro. (C4)

Mario for Lampard?

admin — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:36:36 +0000

Jose Mourinho’s Inter transfer campaign kicks off with Deco and Frank Lampard pushing Adriano and Mario Balotelli towards Chelsea.

The new Coach has not yet made public proclamations on his targets for the summer, but the newspapers in Italy and around Europe are certain of at least two names – Lampard and Deco.

Lampard has also been linked with another ex-Chelsea boss at Claudio Ranieri’s Juventus, but Inter have the upper hand.

This is because the Nerazzurri are ready to offer either Adriano or Balotelli as part of the transfer.

Adriano is due to return from his loan spell at Sao Paolo, having rediscovered his form and a place in the Brazil squad, but is not said to be part of Mourinho’s plans.

According to the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper, they will look to Chelsea to take on Adriano’s hefty £4.4m per season wages.

Another alternative is teenage wunderkind Balotelli, who exploded on to the scene over the final few months of the Scudetto race.

The striker, who only turns 18 in August, has been sending out repeated warnings he is by no means certain to stay with the club.

“I don’t feel like an Inter player inside,” he was quoted as saying in the Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I don’t feel like a player who belongs in a mid-table side, either.”

Chelsea have already shown an interest in the Italian talent of Ghanaian extraction and the upcoming contract negotiations with Inter are bound to be affected by this.

Other players expected to leave the Beneamata in the wake of Roberto Mancini’s sacking are Cesar Aparecido, Maniche, Santiago Solari, Nicolas Burdisso, Olivier Dacourt and David Suazo.

It is reported in today’s media that Barcelona have already agreed to sell Deco to the Nerazzurri, where he’ll reunite with his former Porto boss.

However, The Mail on Sunday insists that Deco will be re-routed to Chelsea instead, where he’ll replace the Inter-bound Lampard.

Deals are also in the offing to bring Abdoullay Konko from Genoa in a co-ownership deal worth over £2m in partial exchange for the loan of Nelson Rivas. (C4)

Mourinho to Mario Balotelli

admin — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:40:33 +0000

“Balotelli is a player so strong. I want to know him and understand him mentally, but in football way he has great potentialities but must continue like this.”

Barwuah wants more!

admin — Sat, 24 May 2008 18:00:15 +0000

Inter sensation Mario Balotelli is treading on thin ice after asking for a huge pay rise.

The 17-year-old broke into the first team this year with considerable aplomb, scoring three goals in 11 appearances.

Balotelli, an explosive striker of Ghanaian descent, earns £480,000 a season and is deemed central to Inter’s future.

His current deal runs out in 2010, but Balotelli believes he has proved his worth and deserves to be among the top earners at Via Durini.

The youngster’s representatives met with Inter directors this week and demanded a new contract of around £3.2m per annum.

The Nerazzurri believe the request to be a trifle excessive and will meet Balotelli’s agent again in the near future to resolve the situation.

Born in Palermo and adopted by a family in Brescia, Balotelli has spent his entire career with the Nerazzurri, working his way up through Inter’s youth ranks.

Meanwhile, Inter are believed to be close to signing Genoa’s versatile Frenchman Abdoulay Konko.

Coach Roberto Mancini wanted the former Juventus player in January, but had to settle with Maniche instead.

The 24-year-old can play in defence or midfield and made more appearances than any other Genoa player this season.

Inter will meet with officials from the Grifone on Monday to discuss Konko’s departure. (C4)

Crespo: No problems with Mario Balotelli

admin — Mon, 19 May 2008 19:53:21 +0000

Hernan Crespo has no grudge against young Inter teammate Mario Balotelli.

“All that counts is that Inter do well. At this moment in time it doesn�t matter if a 17-year-old or a 40-year-old is leading the line, as long as we achieve our objectives.

“Clearly I would love to play and take centre stage, but I think the personal aspect has to be put to one side.” (tf)

Mihajlovic: Super Mario all-time great

admin — Mon, 19 May 2008 19:50:50 +0000

Inter Milan No2 Sinisa Mihajlovic says Mario Balotelli has the potential be an “all-time great”.

“Last year when he came with the senior team for pre-season training you could see straight away what he was made of,” Mihajlovic told Sky Italia television.

“If he carries on improving like this, day after day, he could become one of the all-time greats. I always tell him to relax, as he mustn’t be afraid of anyone or anything.” (tf)

Confident staying grounded

admin — Mon, 19 May 2008 19:49:05 +0000

Inter Milan superkid Mario Balotelli is confident he will stay grounded, despite the hype swirling around him.

The 17 year-old said: “I know there are true friends and people who are only worried about me when I am doing well. The popularity is beautiful but it wouldn’t mean a lot without my family and friends.”

Asked about the influence of the coaches at Inter, Balotelli added: “The advice from Roberto Mancini and Sinisa Mihajlovic is fundamental to grow, but I try to learn something from the players and all the attackers playing at Inter.” (tf)

Balotelli mad

admin — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:21:56 +0000

Inter teen star Mario Balotelli is furious that legal red tape has prevented him representing Italy at this summer’s Olympics.

The 17-year-old has been one of the revelations of the season and is seen as one of the peninsula’s most exciting prospects.

However, despite being born in Palermo, Balotelli isn’t able to become an Italian citizen until his 18th birthday on August 12, which is too late for him to be registered for the Olympic Games in China.

The problems have arise because he is the son of Ghanaian immigrants and has never been officially adopted by the Balotelli family, who were given custody of him by the courts when he was just three.

“The Italian law is unjust and needs to be changed,” the former Lumezzane man raged to the Corriere dello Sport. “I feel like a Second Division citizen.”

Balotelli has already snubbed the chance to represent Ghana because he wants to follow his Azzurri dream.

“Even having been born here, I am still not being recognised as a citizen and I find that to be enormously unjust,” he continued.

“I have turned down an invitation to play for Ghana because I want to wear the Azzurri shirt.

“The reason I did so is because I was born in Italy and I have always lived there, so I feel like an Italian.” (C4)