Mario Balotelli given lifeline by ASD Lupa Castelli

Where Balo was once courted by Europe’s biggest and best, his agent now has to resort to actively seeking gainful employment for his client, and nothing has materialized so far this summer.

With his career stagnating after one largely miserable season at Liverpool, it’s no secret that Mario Balotelli, or at least his agent, is currently in the process of assessing his career options.

Balotelli was left out of the pre-season tour of Australia, and looks increasingly cast adrift, but the problem is: offers are thin on the ground for the former golden boy of Italian football.

Despite the likes of Inter and AC Milan both reportedly snubbing Balotelli’s advances this summer, the want-away Reds striker has been offered an escape route back to Italian football – though not quite at the level he was previously accustomed to.

Indeed, the lifeline has been given, courtesy of ASD Lupa Castelli, a tiny club that was formed only two years ago and currently plies its footballing trade in Lega Pro (the Italian third tier).

Lupa Castelli’s club president Marco Amelia told Sky Italia of his lofty ambitions to sign Mario:

“Our intention is to bring our friend, Balotelli, here, a player who at this time needs to start afresh because we see that he does not want to play anymore, has fans opposing him and is no longer able to show his quality.”

“For Balotelli, this could be the first step towards cleaning up his act, taking two steps back and showing everyone what he is capable of doing.”

“Six months here would be useful to him to start the path of purification.”

“He must regain humility and enthusiasm that allowed him to break into football matters when he was starting out.”

“It will be difficult, almost impossible, but I will try anyway. I hope that the importance of the city of Rome and our friendship helps me.”

“I’ll try to call Mario Balotelli. On an economic point of view, we’ll see what happens. I think that at this time Mario needs to find the will that he needs to compete. It will be tough, it will be almost impossible as it is something that football has never seen, but he could do it.”

In my opinion though, even though it has been Balotelli’s poorest campaign in his career, Castelli’s ambitions and claims still are a little too far fetched. But let’s face it, stranger things have definitely happened in the madcap world of Mario Balotelli.

Editor : Akanksha Agarwal