The potential transfer of Mario Balotelli to Genoa has entered a crucial phase, with conflicting signals emerging about the outcome of the negotiations. Over the next day or two, a final decision is expected on this intriguing market operation.
Calciomercato report how on one side, the statements from Genoa’s management, particularly those made by sporting director Marco Ottolini to DAZN before Saturday’s match against Bologna, suggest a potential rejection of the deal. Ottolini remarked that “there are many things to consider regarding Mario,” hinting at a possible negative evolution of the operation.
However, just a couple of hours later, after the same match against Bologna, coach Alberto Gilardino, who has been the primary advocate for Balotelli’s arrival, made comments of a decidedly opposite nature. His words indicated that evaluations of the high-profile free agent are still ongoing.
Adding to this complex scenario are Balotelli’s own reactions on social media. The 34-year-old player posted on his Instagram profile, “What a goal he scored!” coinciding with Andrea Pinamonti’s brace against Bologna for Genoa. While this simple five-word post made no apparent direct reference to Genoa’s current striker, the timing of its publication—just seconds after Pinamonti’s header secured a draw for Genoa—seems too perfect to be mere coincidence.