Oh Mario, what’s wrong now? Never one to shy away from the media spotlight, our ever-controversial striker has drawn further attention to himself this week by telling a journalist that he’s forgotten how to speak Italian.
SEE MORE:
Daily Mail names Liverpool’s best Premier League XI – Babbel & McManaman included
Liverpool’s top 20 targets named – Colombian forwards & Croat dynamo feature
Six perfect replacements for Raheem Sterling named by football stats website
Balotelli, who we brought from Italian giants AC Milan last summer, was born in the Italian city of Palermo and only moved to England at the age of 20, when he joined Manchester City. He returned to his native country in 2013 and spent another 18 months there before joining Liverpool.
According to the Evening Standard the journalist in question was attempting to quiz the forward about his family, only for him to respond by saying: “Beware, I do not speak Italian any more.”
Balotelli was in his homeland to watch his brother Enoch feature in an exhibition game when reporters approached the Reds forward. His response appeared to do the trick as well, as they quickly left him alone.
As the report states, Mario’s agent – Mino Raiola – has insisted that the striker will not be leaving the club this summer and as things stand he is set to return to pre-season training with us next month.
After only scoring four goals last season, he’s going to be under pressure to produce immediately, should he stay at Anfield. And with Danny Ings sealing his move to Merseyside on Monday, the Italian is certainly going to have his work cut out to keep hold of a place in the team.
If he does choose to go, maybe Mario might have to remember his Italian sooner rather than later.