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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has stated Mario Balotelli is not for sale at any price.
The Italian striker’s future at City was thrown into doubt after he was sent off in the 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Easter Sunday, which left Mancini furious.
At the time, Mancini admitted the former Inter man would ‘probably’ be sold in the summer, but has since made a U-turn.
‘Mario is clear and I reiterate: Balotelli will remain in Manchester at 101 per cent,’ said Mancini.
‘In the last fifteen minutes against QPR he was decisive. And he'll have a great European Championship too. I hope that Mario will be Italy's leader because he is the best Italian striker.
‘He has only to turn on his brain. It's his only problem.’
Mancini claimed a mature Balotelli has the potential to become one of the best players on the planet.
‘If he understands that he must stop with certain behaviours, he'll become like Cristiano Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi.’
‘Sometimes he goes out of his mind. In the Premier League there are worse players, but they just don't have the name Balotelli and they haven't the spotlight on them. Such as that [Joey] Barton who beat anyone on Sunday afternoon.
‘I will bet again on Balotelli, even though he made me really angry. I said he would never wear the City shirt but I knew that was not true.
‘I'm trying to help him, I cannot do more.’ Added Mancini.
