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Mario Balotelli landed in Italy this afternoon and paraded the AC Milan shirt after turning his back on Manchester City.
The Italian striker touched down at Malpensa Airport just after 3pm and spoke to reporters as he left the plane.
‘I wanted play for Milan since long time ago,’ he said. ‘Before I played for another team and I couldn’t come. Now I had this chance and I ran.
Game for a laugh: Mario Balotelli smiles as he arrives in Italy ahead of completing his Milan deal
This way please: Mario Balotelli is mobbed as he arrives at the hospital for medical checks
‘I started this season with City not very well and I hope to change the situation here. I felt inside me that one day I would have come.
‘I took important decisions and I hope they will be lucky for me and for Milan.’
He will have a medical at Milan and is expected to be officially unveiled later this week.
'Balo is back’ screamed the front of La Gazzetta dello Sport. Balotelli is back in Milan and in line to make his debut in a friendly on Thursday against an amateur side from his home town of Brescia.
Balotelli is still expected to have his medical today but it is possible the deal will not be finalised until deadline day, with Italy’s transfer window closing earlier than the one in England, at 7pm.
The 22-year-old is expected to have dinner with Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi tonight and a press conference has now been scheduled for tomorrow.
Touching down: Mario Balotelli holds the AC Milan shirt after stepping off his plane
On the move: La Gazzetta dello Sport has Balotelli on its front page with a mocked up red mohawk
Excitement is such that fans of the Rossoneri have already snapped up over a thousand shirts with ‘Balotelli’ and No 9 on the back.
The problem is that Brazilian Alexandre Pato has the No 9 shirt – despite leaving for Corinthians earlier this month – and Serie A rules state that a shirt number cannot be reallocated, so instead he is set to wear the No 45 shirt, just as he did at Manchester City and Milan’s city rivals Inter.
The 22-year-old wears his favourite No 9 shirt for the Italian national team and he could be tempted to follow in the footsteps of another former Inter striker Ivan Zamorano who could not have the No 9 shirt, so had No 18 with a + sign in the middle.
Robbie Fowler did the same when he signed for Leeds and missed out on the No 9 shirt that he had worn at Liverpool, so opted for the No 27.
Cashing in: The AC Milan website is selling shirts with Balotelli's name on
Signing on: Balotelli with the No 45 shirt at Manchester City
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini claimed the Italy forward could go on to become one of the best players in the world following his move.
‘I think that they are very close (to a deal),’ he said. ‘We are also so sad because Mario was an important player for us.
‘He is a fantastic player but I think for him this could an important chance to go back to Italy and play for another top club like Milan.
‘I hope he can continue to improve because he can become one of the world's best players.’
Mancini believes Balotelli did ‘very well’ in his two-and-a-half years with City, although concedes this season has proved more difficult.
How he will look: Balotelli wearing No 45 on City's away shirt, which is very similar to AC Milan's home jersey
Favorite number: Balotelli wears the No 9 for Italy
Other side of the city: Balotelli had to wear the No 45 at Inter as well
Making do: Ivan Zamorano wore 1+8 on his shirt
He was also quick to deny suggestions the departure was related to difficulties in dealing with the forward.
‘No, no, no, not for me,’ he said. ‘For me, Mario was like another of my children.
‘Mario is this but you can be upset with him sometimes.
‘Mario is this but you can be upset with him sometimes.
‘The club told me they had this from Milan. I spoke with Mario and I think he wanted this.
‘I think for him after three years in England to come back to Italy will be good for him.’
Berlusconi has already apologised to Balotelli for suggesting he could be a ‘rotten apple’ in the dressing-room following his well-publicised problems at the Etihad Stadium.
And Massimo Moratti, chairman of Inter Milan who sold Balotelli to City, believes he will be a good signing for their rivals.
‘It was a good business for Milan,’ said Moratti. ‘We already had him, so we didn't need him. He can be useful to Berlusconi for many reasons.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2270606/Mario-Balotelli-arrives-Italy-start-life-AC-Milan--pictures.html#ixzz2JU8UqseR
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