Manchester City could sell Balotelli for only £10m

MANCHESTER CITY will sell Mario Balotelli on the cheap next month after admitting he is damaged goods.

Blues boss Roberto Mancini has finally run out of patience with the bad-boy striker and will attempt to flog him to the highest bidder in January.

But the champions will have to take a huge hit on the Italian and fear having to sell him for around £10m – less than half the £24m fee they paid Inter Milan for him in 2010.

There will not be a long queue of clubs wanting to snap up Balotelli because his behaviour has put most of them off.

But that will not stop Mancini trying to off-load him because he is convinced Balotelli is wasting his talent at the Etihad.

AC Milan are favourites to land the 22-year-old and could even take him on loan for the rest of the season with a view to making the deal permanent in the summer.

Mancini was fuming with Balotelli following his woeful performance during the Blues’ 3-2 defeat to Manchester United.

The 22-year-old was a surprise choice ahead of Carlos Tevez in Mancini’s starting line-up but he lasted just 52 minutes before being hauled off.

Angry Balotelli stormed straight down the tunnel before being ordered to return and sit on the bench for the rest of the game.

Even City fans have lost patience with someone who used to be a cult figure, with supporters even cheering Mancini’s decision to replace him for Tevez against United.

A club source told Starsport: “Mario has been given all the help he needs to become a success at the club but the problem is he doesn’t help himself.

“His attitude is wrong and there is only so much the manager can take. The problem now though is who will want to buy him and how much will they be prepared to spend?

“He’s damaged goods and more trouble than he is worth.”

Balotelli has fallen right down the pecking order at City, with Mancini admitting he is in danger of wasting his talent.

Problems have continued to dog Balotelli, who has flaunted club rules since he arrived and become more famous for his off-pitch behaviour.

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Source: DailyStar