Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini admits that he thought about singing Mario Balotelli from Liverpool this summer.
The Italian managed the mercurial striker at Inter before and also at Manchester City. He is said to have a good relationship with Balotelli and has faith in his abilities.
Liverpool were desperate to get rid of the striker this summer and eventually agreed to send him back to AC Milan on a loan deal last month, after just one year at Anfield.
And Mancini admits that before AC Milan came into the picture, he was interested in taking him back to the Nerazzurri during the transfer window.
The Inter boss revealed that he was looking for alternate attacking option to Mauro Icardi and seriously considered signing Balotelli, because he feels he still has the ability to perform at the top level.
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“I admit that I thought about Balotelli”, Mancini told Gazzetta dello Sport.
“At some point we were thinking about signing a replacement for Icardi and I thought about him because I know him, I love him and I know what he can give.
“I thought about him because he needs to get back to his best, but then Milan came into the picture.”
AC Milan take on Inter in the first Milan derby of the season tomorrow and it remains to be seen whether Balotelli gets an opportunity to make his mark.
He was an unused substitute in the Rossoneri’s 2-1 win over Empoli before the international break.
