Arsenal have been linked with a yet another one of Europe’s top strikers, with Inter Milan’s Mario Balotelli the latest name mentioned in connection with the Gunners.
The 17-year-old, who is reported to be represented by his brothers, is reported to be in the middle of a row Inter management and is thought to be reluctant to sign a new contract at the San Siro.
And the latest media reports suggest that Arsenal and fellow Premier League outfits Chelsea and Liverpool have contacted the Seria A giants about the former Lumezzane striker.
Inter legend Mario Corso, who played more than 500 games for the club between 1958 and 1973 recently said that he has never seen a player of “such incredible quality” and claims Balotelli has even more potential than AC Milan’s rival teen star, Alexander Pato.
“He is good with his head, he is fast, has a good shot, good vision. He takes great set-pieces. It is also incredible that in a great team like Inter, there was no one who was able to take a good free kick or corner. Now there is someone,” said Corso.
“I say that the only problems he could find are off the field. If he does not become a great player it will only be his fault.”
He would be an incredible pick up, 17 years old and already 6′2 (1.89 m) with plenty of experience already under his belt for Inter.
Balotelli is of Ghanian descent, but should get an Italian passport within the year (his adoption papers were screwed up, hence the last name but lack of citizenship), so he would qualify for a work permit.
A versatitle player as well as creative, Balotelli can play on either wing as well as upfront as a centre foward or supporting striker.
Your thoughts?
Article From The Guardian
June 12, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Haven’t seen this guy before. I’m guessing he’s good, what are our chances of signing him do you think?
June 12, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Depends on Inter, if they receive the right price I think they’ll accept.
June 12, 2008 at 5:11 pm
can’t see inter letting him go without a fight.
would be one hell of a coup for Le Boss to pry away from the san siro, wouldn’t put it past him though.
June 12, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Nice goal by Croatia there
June 12, 2008 at 5:24 pm
so is nasri coming or not as a see athletico are pondering making a bid.
June 12, 2008 at 5:26 pm
he is amazing but your source is tribal football. Unlikely
June 12, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Now it makes sense! Saw him in preseason and he didn’t look right. Firstly, there was this black dude with an Italian name. He’s not mixed so where did the name come from? Then he was so good I cannot believe he’s 17. This kid is unbelievable for 17, trust me. I still cannot believe it.
June 12, 2008 at 5:28 pm
unlikely – but he will be incredible in the future
June 12, 2008 at 5:31 pm
in fact you can file this under bollocks
June 12, 2008 at 5:36 pm
he’s adopted btw
June 12, 2008 at 5:36 pm
he is the best 17 yr old in the world rite now. watched him play he is incredible, if arsenal were to sign him it would be the coup of the decade. remember whn martins broke into the scene with inter, well this guy is ten times more highly rated
June 12, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I’ve seen this guy may times especially the latter part of the season for Inter. In my opinion today he is the best player in the world under 20. If Arsenal gets this guy, he could become the greatest player ever to wear an Arsenal Uniform.
June 12, 2008 at 6:01 pm
here i signed this balotelli for arsenal on football manager 08 and he was total rubbish.
3 goals in 30 odd games and he was 21 wen i bought him
June 12, 2008 at 6:02 pm
this is new tiery henry
June 12, 2008 at 6:05 pm
He’s amazing on football manager then again so is Park Ji-Sung. Still feel we should let Hleb move to Real Madrid and get Sniejder in exchange as opposed to Yaya with Barca.
June 12, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Am I missing something, has Arsenal become a youth academy. I don’t know how many youths 1 team can have. Their comes a time when you have to deal with the present, just a thought!
June 12, 2008 at 6:08 pm
For 17 years old he is pretty incredible,skilfull and very strong!
June 12, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I dont think he is as good as some are making out but his potential is huge. He broke into the Inter team towards the end of the season and won them afew matches. If we sell Adebayor he would be the best replacment out there
June 12, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Brothers looking after his interests? don’t think le boss will like the sound of that as he’ll remember a young brilliant Anelka a few years ago whose brothers were also looking after his interests. He left thinking the pitches were greener on the other side now he bitterly regrets it. So much for families. I think the boss will be wise enough not to pursue this as there’ll be plenty more fish in the sea.
June 12, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Brilliant on Football Manager, a real class player, hopefully its the same in real life. But then again we have enough strikers.
June 12, 2008 at 6:34 pm
If wenger shudsign this player he wud nt need to sign anoda strika for the next 10 to 13yrs if he performs well. To me he is 1 of the best strikas in the world as at naw. He wud be an incerdible signin
June 12, 2008 at 7:15 pm
This guy is no kid, he is a man at 17 years old. Today his is the best 17, 18, and 19 year old in the world, even better than Pato and I don’t think anyone could even protest that statement. I say forget Benzema and sign this guy
June 12, 2008 at 7:19 pm
perfect!! this means we don’t need to be worrying about who could replace adebayor’s height in the box. we should sell ade for 32 million and use the money to get balotelli and David Villa. good business there waiting to happen in my opinion.
June 12, 2008 at 7:19 pm
is inter still interested in hleb??
get a swap started centering around these two.
June 12, 2008 at 7:33 pm
only a week ago i was telling one of my manure mates (sorry about that), about this guy, and how i think that if we were to sign a 17 year old, this guy should be the one
haven’t seen much of ramsey, but playing for inter at 17 is alot different then playing for cardiff at 17!! Let’s hope he falls out with mourinho asap and something can be sorted. The only problem is, there will not only be us, maure and everton after this 17 year old 
June 12, 2008 at 7:34 pm
FUCK THAT, LETS JUST GET PERRY GROVES AND MERSE BACK.
June 12, 2008 at 7:37 pm
LOL
June 12, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Never heard of him, but if we sign him then super duper fandabidozi!
wooooooooooooooooo
Edit: Stick to English please, cheers
June 12, 2008 at 7:41 pm
AT NUMBER ONE IT’S PERRY GROVES…….
June 12, 2008 at 7:42 pm
‘Fandabidozi’? Colin you are a freak. Bugger off back to the hole you came from.
June 12, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Adebayor, van Persie, Eduardo, Walcott, Bendtner, Vela….
Do we really need a new striker?????
If Adebayor goes then we’re buying David Villa but not a chance in hell we’ll buy Balotelli!
June 12, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Ray Gooner,
Forget all those strikers you lister above, as much as I luv Ade and Eduardo, I will say that non of the above listed players have the potential of this young Man. There is no 17 year old player today in this world, no Brazilian, French or African player that will be better than this young man in three years. Benzema does not even compare at this age.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F5XHOB6kY8
If Arsenal can sign this young man my only wonder is can we than keep him as he starts to reach his potential?
June 12, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Yeh he looks all good & that lads but he’s still 17 & is will just be another kid in a squad full of kids with POTENTIAL.
Im not saying he wont be a big player or a good signing but we still have theo who were all hoping will push through next season & weve just got ramsey aswell..
I mean how many kids do you want in your 1st team squad on a saturday afternoon?
June 12, 2008 at 9:52 pm
I cant see us buying another attacking player if we are going to buy Ramsey and Nasri – I think this is just a young player who has got exceptional talent and so Arsenal is always going to be linked to him – whoever he is. Also it looks like every player that we try and sign these days, Athletico Madrid suddenley want as well – coincedence? I think not!
June 12, 2008 at 10:23 pm
i think we should buy ronaldo, kaka and villa as our creative players.
defensively we should sign vidic and carvalho. goalkeeper cech. holding midfielder diarra from real.
June 12, 2008 at 10:25 pm
He’s absolutely different class in Football Manager!!!!
Their researchers definitely seem to be in the know when it comes to young potential superstars.
http://www.arsenal-opinion.com
June 12, 2008 at 10:31 pm
whats with banging on the youth i mean we all saw how overrated age is by watching milan and i thought this season we didnt lose out cause lack of experience but at costly times lack of composure which aged players are just as guilty(gallas,terry,riise the whole ac milan squad and pretty much at one time or another every player worldwide)and to the biggest thing is lack of depth
had we cover in all areas by formidable players instead of placing eboue in the midfield(better as cover for sagna)and starting senderos,just doesn’t look comfortable as a gunner unlike when playing for his country, the season may have ended different
i think these last few seasons we saw the game is shifting to lightning speed and true technicality in individuals which at times has made the older players look just that, old, not better, just old
i for one love wengers policy of youth and letting them have at it
maybe mclaren could have benefitted from that policy and gave theo or lennon or SWP a run at it ,really, whats to lose … well, i guess he found out by sticking with the more “experienced” players
June 12, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I think this report is rubbish, we are not going to get him. He can only apply for an Italian passport in August and it will take a while after that. He has also expressed his desire to play for the Italian national team and turned down Ghana because of that. This kid looks like a striker version of Fabregas, I think he is one of the best teenagers around. I doubt that he is better than Pato or Bojan though, they are simply of another level.
June 12, 2008 at 11:10 pm
we dont need anymore kids we dont need inter,s striker that eveyone bangs on about we need expierience villa world class worth buying replace, adebayor isnt world class for me dont think he suits are style properly first touch is poor and not a player who can turn a game like villa,torres,or henry if u want to be the best u must try and buy the best sometimes and for me a little fine tuning with two super special players and arsenal will be the team to chase next year cause are young players are fantastic.
June 12, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Villa will be another Sheva in the Premiership. He is made for Spanish and Italian Football.
June 12, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Are you willing to give Villa Three years to adjust like most other strikers take?
June 13, 2008 at 6:35 am
this bollateli kid is a really good player. at 17 he already pushing for starting place at inter. but his mental a bit off. his commitment also can be question. he lack passion and not really a good team player. but his talent is 1st class. if adebayor leaves, he would be better replacement. wenger, go get this guy and use your magic to turn him into the best striker in the world.
June 13, 2008 at 7:10 am
Judging by the comments the guy must be a really good player worth signing. However, my worry is we seem to be concentrating on youngters instead of players for the first team. Is this not going to errode our already limited budget? Your views?
June 13, 2008 at 7:42 am
Where is the experience Wenger promised us he is going to sign?
June 13, 2008 at 8:28 am
nice blog…
June 13, 2008 at 11:41 am
As good as Balotelli is – and he’s just about the best in his age group – I really can’t see a club of Inter’s size being willing to let him leave, and if they did it would be for a scandalously high fee.
He’d be a fantastic coup, but this story is nothing short of fantasy as far as I’m concerned.
June 13, 2008 at 4:37 pm
AT NUMBER TWOO IT’S PERRY GROVES
June 13, 2008 at 4:59 pm
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