Arsenal, Chelsea and Barca in Balotelli link
2009-09-22 - Added by
ExtraFootie
Franco Rossi, a respected Italian football journalist, has revealed that Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona are all in the hunt to sign Inter Milan wonderkid Mario Balotelli.
Rossi claims on his official website that Arsene Wenger is looking at the 19-year-old to add to his ever growing squad of talented kids, and that Carlo Ancelotti would be interested should the Blues successfully appeal their transfer embargo.
However, the strongest interest appears to be coming from the Camp Nou, according to the journalist, as La Blaugrana coach Pep Guardiola is supposedly a big fan of the flamboyant forward.
Balotelli can play up front or on the left of the attack, and with Thierry Henry rumoured to be in his final season in Catalunya, the Nerazzurri man could be an ideal replacement.
If Balotelli were to move to Barca next summer he would become the second Inter forward to make the switch in the past 12 months after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's £40million exchange move to the European champions this summer.
The Italy Under-21 international had been linked with a surprise loan
move to West Ham during the close season, though boss Gianfranco Zola was unable to
convince the player to move to Upton Park.
The Ghana-born ace has found first-team chances limited under Jose Mourinho this season with Samuel Eto'o and Diego Milito the first-choice pairing, while his attitude has been called into question a number of times by observers of the Italian game.