Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has confessed that he tried to bring Mario Balotelli back to his native country before he chose a move to Nice on deadline day.
The Italian was seeking a new club after it was made clear he had no future on Merseyside. The maverick striker moved to Anfield in the summer of 2014 but failed to make an impact at Anfield scoring just four times in his first and only season before being loaned back to AC Milan last season.
His Merseyside nightmare was ended when he moved to the south of France this week, but Zamparini told GianlucaDiMarzalo that his side tried to bring Balotelli to Sicily.
He said: ""Balotelli has great skills and is a big problem. It was worth it to try to sign him." Before he joined Nice, Palermo were set to be lining up what could have been a club record bid but Balotelli made it clear he had no intention to return to Italy.
Balotelli revealed: ""There were other successful clubs who wanted me but I need above all else to play this season. This season needs to be a good season. I don't miss Italy at all. I would never return to Italy now."
Since leaving Manchester City in January 2013, Balotelli's career has experienced a sharp decline and two spells at AC Milan sandwiched between his stint at Liverpool have been extremely unsuccessful. His lack of form has seen him dropped from the Italian side and he faces a battle to get back into the national side.
Mario Balotelli's first Nice press conference was classic Mario ? pic.twitter.com/aJANGEzB4d