Rumour: Arsenal reportedly willing to offer Mario Balotelli £180k a week

Mario Balotelli

AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli could be offered a contract worth £180,000 per week by Arsenal in order to secure his signature, report The Metro.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has earmarked a world class striker as the priority for this transfer window and Balotelli has emerged as the top target.

Reports in Italy suggest that whilst a formal approach is yet to be made some of Arsenal’s chief negotiators have drawn up the mammoth contract.

Balotelli has enjoyed a mixed time since returning to Italy with his boyhood club and the agent of the AC Milan forward told reporters that he felt a deal worth £27 million could happen in the near future.

Balotelli started his career with Milan’s local rivals Inter Milan and after working his way into the first team he earned a move to Manchester City.

His time in England was fraught with controversy and despite Roberto Mancini consistently defending the striker he couldn’t produce his best performances regularly and was eventually sold to AC Milan.

Balotelli started his time back in Italy well, scoring regularly but this season he has been criticised for not working hard enough without the ball and for scoring too many of his goals from set-pieces.