English Premier League club Manchester City is convinced that a deal to sell striker Mario Balotelli to Italian giants AC Milan is still on despite club president Silvio Berlusconi branding the madcap forward as a rotten apple.
City officials believe Milan actually remain keen on the striker, once of their San Siro neighbours Inter, and that an agreement can still be reached during the current transfer window, the Daily Mirror reports.
Despite his public claims to the contrary, City boss Roberto Mancini is willing to get shot of Balotelli, his patience having been pushed to the limit by the 22-year-old, it further reported.
Milan has already sold striker Alexandre Pato to Corinthinans and are looking to get rid of former City forward Robinho, with Balotelli seen as their ideal replacement, the paper said.
Balotelli has just one Premier League goal to his name this season, and clashed with Mancini on the training pitch last week after a reckless tackle on team-mate Scott Sinclair, the paper added.
Although Mancini said the episode had not affected the 22-year-old's future at the club, privately, he and his coaching staff have conceded the point of no return has been reached, it concluded. (ANI)
