Mario Balotelli ‘closes in on a SHOCK return to Serie A’ after spending four months as a free agent – just weeks after claiming he could still ‘smash’ the Italian top-flight

Mario Balotelli is reportedly closing in on a return to Serie A after spending the last four months as a free agent. 

The former Manchester City man has been without a side since leaving Turkish Super Lig outfit Adana Demirspor over the summer as a free agent. 

During his time in Turkey, Balotelli scored seven goals in 16 games and is thought to be seeking another challenge before calling time on playing professional football. 

Mail Sport reported at the start of the month that he was reviewing an offer from Alicante-based team CF Intercity in the third tier of Spanish football. 

However, now, it looks as though the 34-year-old could be on his way back to Italian football with one team waiting for the ‘final green light’ to sign Balotelli.

The last time Balotelli played in the Italian top flight came in 2019, when he returned to his hometown club Brescia

According to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, Genoa are closing in on signing the 34-year-old and Balotelli is ‘very excited’ to return to the Italian league.

The reports come shortly after Balotelli claimed that he would ‘smash’ a potential return to Serie A.

Discussing his career on streamer Enerix’s Twitch channel, Balotelli grew incensed when he was compared to footballers plying their trade in Serie A. 

When Enerix argued that Joel Pohjanpalo – who currently plays for Venezia – was a more sensible pick for a newly promoted side than Balotelli, the former Inter Milan star queried: ‘What the f*** are you saying?

‘Just because I wasn’t in Serie A (in recent years), what I did doesn’t count? F*** off, you and Serie A. 

‘It’s a promise, I’ll smash Serie A when I sign (for a new club), I’ll smash this f****** Serie A.’ 

Balotelli recently claimed, in a Twitch stream, that he would ‘smash’ a return to Serie A

Reports earlier this month claimed that Genoa boss Alberto Gilardino reached out to the 34-year-old in a bid to feel out a move to the northern Italian side. 

Should Balotelli return to his mother country, his arrival in the Italian top flight would mark the first time that the forward has played in the league since his turn at Brescia during the 2019-20 season. 

The player signed a multi-year deal with his hometown club on a free transfer, but failed to stay longer than his first campaign after the side were relegated to Serie B. 

It would also be the 12th club of Balotelli’s professional career, having starred for the likes of Man City, Liverpool and AC Milan.