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According to Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX, the management shakeup at AC Milan has claimed a major victim in 23-year-old striker Mario Balotelli. Their report is suggesting that Silvio Berlusconi announced that Balotelli, who's been in Milan for less than a year after a €20-million-plus move from Manchester City last January, is on the market and must be sold by the end of the upcoming transfer window, overriding the wishes of co-managing director Adriano Galliani.
So that's interesting.
Consider the following: Chelsea are in dire need of a centre forward. Chelsea have money. Jose Mourinho's about the only manager Balotelli's ever had who could handle the guy, whose reputation for bizarre behaviour is hardly unearned. If Balotelli is on the market, there's absolutely no question that the Blues should get involved.
Plenty could go wrong, of course. Balotelli's had a rough go of things this season (it's not like his teammates have done him any favours, though), and his volatility can cause some serious problems if he isn't well managed. But at the same time, he's an elite centre forward and we don't even have a competent one at the moment.
Yes, Balotelli's a circus. He's also a very, very good player, and Chelsea are in the sort of position where rolling the dice on a deal for him would be a fantastic idea. Do it.
