Balotelli.

[W.C.]

I enjoy all his madcap antics so am glad he's coming back.

The picking up the kid bunking of school story was one of the best.

 

[Milano]

Here's a theory, Balotelli's mental behaviour is actually being rewarded.

Knowing that he is an absolute nutjob teams are going to pay a reduced transfer fee as the selling club is more willing to get him out of the place (city sold for £19m, Milan now for £16m) as a result of this he is in a far stronger position when it comes to wage negotiations as the buying club is fully aware he COULD be worth double that and the buying manager will back themselves to get the best out of him. As a result the buying club is more willing to pay him higher wages.

I'm not saying his personality has been invented by his agent but if they had come up with it as a money making strategy (how much has he made in signing on fees in the last two seasons?) it's would be proving very effective.

Anyway glad to see him back, I'm sure he'll give us all plenty to talk about.

He is apparently taking a 50% pay cut.

I think this is more down to Milan being out of Europe and skint, they have to sell him.
He is 24 and reports from Italy saying he is maturing.
As previously posted he is costing £5m more than McCormack and £12m LESS than Lukaku!!!! This for a player with 4 league titles, a champs league medal and an FA cup medal, only 24 and no bad injuries. Going to a club with possibly the best man manager in the league.
This could be the signing of the summer or a disaster, be interesting either way!

 

[clippedgull]

He is apparently taking a 50% pay cut.

SKY Sports News were reporting last night that he is asking for £90,000 per week after tax! Was he on on £180,000 at Milan?

 

[Weststander]

SKY Sports News were reporting last night that he is asking for £90,000 per week after tax! Was he on on £180,000 at Milan?

Italian clubs contract and pay the agreed net to the player, do you remember the "netto" expression? Then meet all the taxes for the player. Same as in the UK except, our employers/clubs only ever negotiate the gross.

On some websites, he was on £90,000 net per week at Milan. Then Liverpool to pay £80,000 gross per week according to the reliable Guardian. Giving a net under our tax system of £43,000 per week.

So, the pay cut stories do check out.

 

[Weststander]

He is apparently taking a 50% pay cut.

I think this is more down to Milan being out of Europe and skint, they have to sell him.
He is 24 and reports from Italy saying he is maturing.
As previously posted he is costing £5m more than McCormack and £12m LESS than Lukaku!!!! This for a player with 4 league titles, a champs league medal and an FA cup medal, only 24 and no bad injuries. Going to a club with possibly the best man manager in the league.
This could be the signing of the summer or a disaster, be interesting either way!

And in terms of international tournaments, Balotelli delivers with a fair contribution to Italy in 2012 and 2014.
Lukaku was awful for Belgium this summer, being upstaged by the unknown youngster Origi.

 

[Rich Suvner]

at £16m he is worth the punt

why do Milan want shot? has he fallen out with someone there?

 

[Randsta]

I for 1 am glad he is back hope he is still as mental as before!

 

[poidy]

Enigma

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

I wonder if The Premier League slipped Liverpool £16m to bring him back to the league for entertainment value because it's a batshit nutzoid transfer on the footballing side. £16m and Rogers isn't apparently a fan and they don't particularly need him. Very strange all round, especially for Ballotelli, who's stuck in the North again, surely a London club would have been a better move for him in terms of nightlife and the option of cruising the streets of SW1 in his latest motor rather than the streets of Liverpool 8.