Mario Balotelli has had a decent career. The Italian forward made his professional debut in 2006 with Lumezzane and has gone on to play for the likes of Inter Milan, Manchester City, AC Milan and Liverpool. He also represented his country on 36 occasions, scoring 14 times.
But, despite the success he has enjoyed, there is an argument that he hasn’t hit the heights expected of him. At the start of his career, ‘Super Mario’ was an incredible talent. He was expected to become one of the very best players in world football after winning the Golden Boy Award in 2010. However, various problems both on and off the pitch meant he failed to fulfil his lofty potential.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic shares the opinion that Balotelli could have achieved so much more in the sport. The two players were both at Inter Milan during the 2008/09 season, but that hasn’t stopped the Swede from hitting out at his former teammate. Speaking about Balotelli in 2023, Zlatan said, per Gazzetta Dello Sport:
“When a kid has the chance to exploit his talent and misses opportunities, it’s a shame. Balotelli had many, and he missed them all. This is the truth.”
Zlatan went on to say that current AC Milan forward and one of the most promising players in world football Rafael Leao is ‘not like Mario’. He added:
“You can’t compare [Rafael] Leao to Balotelli. That shot from the wrong heel [against Newcastle] is brilliant stuff. If he scores like that, he’s a genius. And that makes you understand why Leao is there and Balotelli instead is in the stands.”
Mario Balotelli Hit Back at Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan scored over 550 goals during his football career and won almost everything there was to win. But, despite playing for many European powerhouses including Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, he was unable to win the Champions League.
Balotelli, unlike Zlatan, managed to win Europe’s premier cup competition. He was part of Jose Mourinho’s Inter side that won the Champions League in 2009. So, after Zlatan’s comments, he posted a photo of him holding the famous trophy and tagged his former teammate.
Balotelli wasn’t done there. On Gazetta dello Sport’s Instagram page, Balotelli left a comment where he hit out at Zlatan for ‘being scared’ in Inter’s Champions League defeat to Manchester United in the last 16 of the 2008/09 season. He wrote:
“In Manchester you were scared and I wanted to win (on the pitch). The year after we won the Champions League anyway, but Zlatan, I still love you.”
While he clearly wasn’t happy about Zlatan’s comments that he ‘wasted his career’, Balotelli agreed with the Swede’s comments comparing himself and Leao. He tagged Leao and wrote: “phenomenon is right about this.”
Tottenham Hotspur mean business in this summer transfer window, and they clearly have no intention of finding themselves near the relegation zone in the Premier League again anytime soon.
Tottenham have already completed the signings of three players ahead of the Roberto De Zerbi revolution, including a Champions League and Premier League winner in Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke.
It has been suggested that they want to complete seven summer signings, with a midfielder and three attackers to follow, although Spurs are also being linked with a second central midfielder and goalkeepers with Guglielmo Vicario expected to leave.
The north Londoners have been working hard on a deal to sign De Zerbi’s top target Sandro Tonali, having already had a £75m bid rejected by Newcastle United for the Italy international.
The 26-year-old is said to be keen on a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to link up with Italian compatriot De Zerbi, as Spurs continue to show huge ambition in the market.
Tonali isn’t the only midfielder De Zerbi has on his wishlist however, with the 47-year-old also wanting to sign West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes on top of the Italian, following the Irons’ relegation to the Championship.
Tottenham ‘Very Close’ to Mateus Fernandes Agreement
via Reuters
Italian journalist Matteo Moretto reported on Saturday that Tottenham are now ‘very close’ to reaching an agreement on personal terms with Fernandes, as they look to try and beat Premier League rivals Manchester United to his signature.
United had looked to be in clear pole position to sign the Portugal international, who would like to link up with Portuguese teammate Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford, but Spurs appear to have made an attractive offer to him as well, which would allow him to remain in London.
The Red Devils can also offer the ‘elite’ 21-year-old star Champions League football next term while Spurs have no European football to offer at all.
Nevertheless, Fernandes seems ready to join Tottenham if they can agree a fee with West Ham, as he looks to avoid playing in England’s second tier.
Tonali Will Love Fernandes
via Reuters
If Tottenham can pull off an audacious double swoop for Tonali and Fernandes, like De Zerbi wants them to, they would arguably have one of the best central midfield partnerships in the Premier League.
Tonali is a physically imposing midfielder with impressive strength and stamina, while he has also shown his ability to dicate matches and make an impact in the final third at St James’ Park too.
Fernandes could prove to be the perfect player to complement him in the Tottenham engine room, given the Portuguese’s own versatility.
The 21-year-old has proven he can play as a ‘6’, ‘8’ and a ’10’ during his spells with West Ham and Southampton, and that adaptability will allow Tonali to not only sit deep, but also get involved in more attacking areas too because he knows he can rely on him for tackling success.
When Tonali finds Fernandes in possession, he knows that youngster will use the ball well too after what we’ve seen from him at St Mary’s and the London Stadium.
Arsenal are facing a fight to keep hold of defender Piero Hincapie, as ESPN reports that Real Madrid have made enquiries about signing the Ecuadorian international this summer.
However, with centre-back problems lurking in the background for the Spanish giants, they are back shopping in the Premier League, and are looking to swipe a star from the Gunners.
Real Madrid Want Piero Hincapie
After failing in an attempt to sign Calafiori, Real Madrid are looking at Arsenal star Hincapie, as ESPN reports that enquiries have been made over a deal.
It comes as Los Blancos want a left-footed centre-back, with moves elsewhere in the backline set to free up a space for the position this summer.
Any deal looks difficult, however, as Arsenal are set to make Hincapie’s loan from Bayer Leverkusen permanent this summer with a £45 million clause in his deal.
That’s not to say a move isn’t possible, but the Gunners would likely be hesitant to let the 24-year-old leave without at least banking a significant profit on a switch to a Champions League rival.
Having already sounded out Hincapie, the report adds that Real Madrid have also enquired about Ruben Dias, Alessandro Bastoni, and Nico Schlotterbeck – though the latter is now unlikely to move due to an injury sustained at the World Cup with Germany.
In all, it means Arsenal could face a potential battle in keeping the versatile defender, but have all the cards in their hand to keep him if they so wish.
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What Mikel Arteta has said about Hincapie
Hincapie wasn’t always a guaranteed started for Arsenal over the course of the previous season, but he did play a large role in the team finally winning the Premier League.
The defender was a reliable option, especially when injuries struck in the backline, adding plenty of pace and physicality at full-back in particular.
“When I spoke to Xabi just before we were going to sign him, I said if you have to describe him in one word, what would you use, and he said, ‘He’s a warrior,'” Arteta said in March to TNT Sports.
Arsenal continue to be linked with potential forward options in the market, but face a battle to land one key target.
“He will play through brick walls for you and he’s one of the most competitive players that I have had. He’s come into the Premier League after surgery and a difficult start without a pre-season, and when you see him around his team-mates and competing on the pitch, it’s like he’s been here for 10 years.
“He has an aura, a charisma – a really special character.”
It shows exactly what Arteta thinks of Hincapie, and perhaps further underlines how tough it may be for Real Madrid to tempt a move this summer.
One England player chose not to shake Thomas Partey’s hand before the Three Lions faced Ghana in their second World Cup game in Boston on Tuesday night.
The Ghanaian midfielder, previously of Arsenal, is currently facing allegations that include seven counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving four different women, as per The Mirror.
These incidents are alleged to have taken place between 2020 and 2022, with investigations taking place while he was still plying his trade in the Premier League.
England have been urged to change their national anthem for football matches, and ditch ‘God Save the King’.
England Player Refuses Thomas Partey’s Handshake Before World Cup Tie
Cody Grubbs (Sipa USA via Reuters)
Heading into the clash, the English FA’s stance was that the players could make their own decision on whether or not to embrace Partey following the national anthems being played.
In Djed Spence’s case, the Tottenham defender chose to keep his arms by his side as his former north London adversary walked past him. Watch the incident below:
