Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli could be on his way to Italy with reports that the Italian’s agent is in talks with Serie A new boys Crotone.
Crotone will be playing in the Serie A for the first time in their history next season and could be set to grab headlines as they are reportedly in for a move for Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli. The Mirror reports that Crotone president Raffaele Vrenna has claimed to have opened talks with the Italian’s agent in hopes of securing the striker’s signature. The report states that the club president said to Gazzetta Dello Sport.
“I made a phone call to agent Mino Raiola for Balotelli. Crotone are the ideal environment for young talent to grow and express themselves. We could be the right place to revive an incredible talent like that of Balotelli, who has unfortunately just experienced a couple of difficult seasons.”
Crotone are a small club that was founded in 1906 and have a stadium with an official capacity of 9631. The club has achieved promotion to Serie A for the first time after finishing second in Serie B last season.
Mario Balotelli has suffered a couple of disastrous seasons after joining Liverpool in 2014. The Italian was loaned out last season back to AC Milan after scoring just 1 goal in 16 league appearances for the Reds. The loan move didn’t seem to have worked out either as Balotelli had only a solitary goal to show for his 20 appearances in Serie A.
The Italian striker was recently dropped from the Italian national squad for the European Championship and could be looking to give his career a potential restart. Crotone are reportedly ready to make the Italian their leader and are looking toward the striker to lead them in their maiden Serie A season. Even though the move looks unrealistic on paper, Balotelli may agree on a move back to Serie A to a club where the spotlight is sure to be on him.
Highly rated Arsenal midfielder is reportedly on his way back to La Liga and has travelled to Spain to finalise a loan move to Granada.
Jon Toral is a former product of the famous La Masia and joined Arsenal along with fellow Barcelona youth teammate Hector Bellerin for a paltry fee of £300,000. The attacking midfielder is highly rated by Arsenal even though he has failed to make a single senior appearance for the club.
Toral spent the last year on loan to Championship club Birmingham and dazzled everyone with his displays for the club. The 21-year-old swept the awards ceremony at Birmingham during his loan spell with the club. The Spanish midfielder won the Players’ Player of the Year and Goal of the Season but being named Supporters’ Player of the Year after receiving 40% more votes than anyone else was a particular highlight.
It was supposed that the stellar displays would’ve convinced Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger but Spanish publication Ideal have claimed that the 21-year-old is in the city of Granada to finalise a move which could happen by the end of the week. The report goes on to say that he will join on a season long loan at Granada with the La Liga club having an option of buying the player, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
Toral will not be the only loan signing from the Premier League at Granada, if the deal happens, as they have already secured the services of Chelsea forward Jeremie Boga.
Arsenal already have a plethora of talented players vying for a starting spot in the same position as Toral and it makes sense for the player to go on loan in order to secure regular first-team playing time.
