Italian outfit AC Milan were suitably impressed, and he joined the San
Siro side in January 2011, a couple of months before the Under - 21 European Championships.
AC Milan have been forced to recently deny reports that they are looking to cut short Fernando Torres» miserable Serie A loan spell, but The Guardian reports that the San
Siro side have opened negotiations with Atletico Madrid over the striker regarding a potential swap deal for Alessio Cerci.
Balotelli has hit seven goals in as many games for the San
Siro side and looks set to become an important player for the Rossoneri.
And given the former Ajax man's predicament at Arsenal, he may be available on the cheap this January, which appeals to the San
Siro side as they look to rebuild their squad without much in the way of funds.
The San
Siro side have managed just fine without the former Ajax and Real Madrid man and Sir Alex Ferguson may re-visit the possibility of signing the talented playmaker at the end of the season.
AC Milan's current keeper, 36 year old veteran Christian Abbiati, has not impressed thus far this term with the San
Siro side currently sitting in 12th place having conceded 13 goals in their opening seven Serie A fixtures.
Not exact matches
Vincenzo Montella has unsurprisingly been the man to receive much of the blame, and similarly to Conte, he faces a crucial test this weekend when his
side host Genoa at the San
Siro.
Valencia manager Garcia Toral confirmed after the La Liga
side's win against Las Palmas this weekend that Cancelo is set to move to the San
Siro as written by the Sun, meaning Chelsea will have missed out on another transfer target.
The Italian is a product of the prestigious AC Milan academy having spent three years at the San
Siro before sealing a move to Portuguese
side Benfica in 2014.
AC Milan striker Carlos Bacca scored his 10th goal of the season as his
side secured a 2 - 0 win over Fiorentina at the San
Siro on Sunday night.
The 29 year old has spent time out on loan at AC Milan and Sampdoria in the past two seasons, scoring five goals in 18 matches for Genoa based
side and two in 11 for the San
Siro giants.
Balotelli returned to the San
Siro on January 2013 having spent two - and - a-half years with the Citizens and has since scored 30 goals in 54 appearances for the
side.
The San
Siro based
sides have been very busy as they aim to get back in to the big time next season.
Since moving to the San
Siro from fellow Italian
side Sampdoria, Icardi has seen himself become a fan favourite at Inter.
The young Croatian international has long been considered a hot prospect and has become a key player at the San
Siro but having seen his
side finish the season in eighth spot, and with no European qualification spot to speak of, the former Dinamo Zagreb may be open to a fresh challenge.
When he first broke into the Milan
side, El Shaarawy was often compared to Real Madrid megastar Cristiano Ronaldo, while he cited former San
Siro legend Kaka as his own personal inspiration.
Icardi was being tracked by numerous Premier League
sides last season but was convinced to stay put at the San
Siro.
In Serie A, Montella's
side are currently fifth with 39 points, six points behind third - placed Napoli, who occupy the final Champions League spot, and will look to close the gap starting this weekend as they take on underachieving Inter Milan at the San
Siro.
The first leg away in Sweden didn't go well as they will have to overturn a 1 - 0 deficit when the two
sides meet at the San
Siro next week, but on the basis of what we've seen in qualification overall, you wouldn't put your money on the Azzurri to do it.
They may have lost 3 - 0 at Highbury but Arsene Wenger's
side turned on the style in the San
Siro with Thierry Henry, Edu, Pires and Ljungberg all on the score sheet.
The 30 - year - old was sent out on loan in January — after falling out of favour with Wenger — where he scored just one Serie A goal for Roberto Mancini's
side, and doesn't look back on his six - months at the San
Siro fondly.
Clearly Genoa have a deal in place with AC Milan so perhaps the payment to the south - coast club is delayed because the San
Siro outfit may have avoided payment, either way the Championship
side would do well to ask UEFA to get involved.
Arsenal arrested a long decline since Christmas when they went to the San
Siro and beat an in - form AC Milan
side, and now they want to start a domestic revival when they welcome Watford to the Emirates tomorrow afternoon.
The first leg at the San
Siro ended 3 - 1 to the Italians and Guardiola couldn't inspire his
side to overturn the deficit against 10 - men and they crashed out at the semi-final stage.
Switzerland international Xherdan Shaqiri left the San
Siro last week to join Stoke for a club - record # 12m fee for the Premier League
side.
Having lost 4 - 1 at san
siro against AC Milan, Deprtivo La Coruna's chance of qualification were next to nothing considering the great Milan
side who had some of finest players at that time.
Even though Milan entered the R16 tie as massive form favourites, it's Arsenal who came on top when the two
sides met in the first leg seven days ago at Stadio San
Siro.
So many were quick to condemn them as a poor
side after our impressive win in the San
Siro.
The Portuguese international only joined the San
Siro outfits 18 months ago in a # 40m deal from Portuguese
side Sporting CP, but has found first team football with the Nerrazurri's challenging.
The San
Siro giants had initially made contact with the player's representative with regards to a winter move, but talks have since failed to progress beyond the discussion stage with Luciano Spalletti more worried about his
side's lean run in the Serie A.
A win at San
Siro for either
side would have the effect of a jab in the arm, the best medicine for a bout of winter flu.
He won five domestic German titles and was part of the Bayern
side that won the 2000/01 Champions League, beating Valencia in the final at the San
Siro.
Having lost the first leg 2 - 0 at San
Siro, the Catalan
side have a towering task to qualify for the next round.
Inter are open to allowing Castaignos to leave the San
Siro on loan, alerting long - term admirers Liverpool, but it's Serie A
side Bologna who have now jumped the queue, offering to return the Dutchman in the summer fully adapted to life in the Italian top flight.
Yuto Nagatomo is now expected to take D'Ambrosio's place on the right
side of midfield with Dodo keeping his place on the left
side and Walter Mazzarri will be hoping for no further injuries before this weekend's big game against Napoli at the San
Siro with Pablo Osvaldo already ruled out with a groin injury and Mateo Kovacic and Hugo Campagnaro both doubts for the game.
Although PSV lost the first leg 2 - 0 at the San
Siro, a valiant effort saw them go 2 - 0 up on home soil and although Abrosini's finish in extra time sealed the Italian
side's place in the final Phillip Cocu made it 3 - 1 just after to give Milan a huge headache.
Inter welcome Sampdoria to the San
Siro this evening with Mazzarri hoping his
side can build on their first victory in three games after a 1 - 0 win over Cesena over the weekend, whilst Mihajlovic's
side are still unbeaten this season and will want to keep that record with a positive result.
Now it seems that two larger La Liga
sides - namely Barcelona and Real Madrid - are looking for potential ways to lure the 23 - year - old player away from the San
Siro.
If Inter were able to bring Matić to the San
Siro, it would give manager Luciano Spalletti a great option to deploy his
side in any tactical way the Italian sees fit.