Mario Balotelli is set to make his return to Italian football as he joins Genoa in Serie A. The 34-year-old striker arrived in the city on Sunday evening, and is scheduled to undergo a medical examination and sign his contract today. Balotelli will be signing a contract with Genoa until the end of the current season, which runs through June 2025.
Calciomercato confirm that the financial terms of the agreement include a total net salary of approximately 300,000 euros. The contract also includes a unilateral termination clause in favor of the club, which can be activated under specific conditions.
Following the completion of his medical and contract signing, Balotelli is expected to join his new teammates for his first training session under coach Alberto Gilardino this afternoon. This quick integration comes at a crucial time for Genoa, who currently find themselves in a precarious position in the Serie A standings. The Ligurian club are currently third from bottom in the league table, having accumulated just 6 points from 9 matches. Their most recent outing resulted in a 3-0 defeat against Lazio. With only one point separating them from Venezia and Lecce at the bottom, Genoa will be hoping Balotelli can provide the spark needed to climb out of the relegation zone.
Genoa faces a tough test in their next fixture, a midweek clash against an in-form Fiorentina side on Thursday, October 31. The match kicks off at 18:30 local time, and Fiorentina comes into the game having scored an impressive 10 goals in their last two outings.
The Italian striker has been a free agent since his contract with Turkish club Adana Demirspor expired on June 30. Throughout his career, Balotelli has played for several high-profile clubs in Italy and abroad, including Inter Milan, AC Milan, Manchester City, Liverpool, Nice, Marseille, and Sion. His goal-scoring record stands at an impressive 230 career goals.
Italy’s national team coach, Luciano Spalletti, has not ruled out a potential return to the Azzurri for Balotelli. In a recent statement to DAZN, Spalletti said, “I don’t close the door on anyone,” leaving the possibility open for Balotelli to earn a recall to the national team if he can impress at Genoa.
