Rumour: AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi fears Mario Balotelli's poor World Cup performance will affect transfer offers

Mario Balotelli has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal

AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi is of the opinion that a poor World Cup has ensured that no club will bid for him.

Mario Balotelli has been heavily tipped for a Premier League return this summer with Arsenal. The north London club is looking to bolster their attack by signing an alternative to the French forward Oivier Giroud and were hoping to lure Balotelli to the Emirates stadium. The Italian striker is set to leave the Rossoneri after spending just 18 months in the Italian capital, during which he scored 26 goals in 43 league games.

Italy exit the World Cup at the group stages as the Azzuri failed to beat Uruguay & Costa Rica after their heroics against England. Mario Balotelli scored only once in three matches and due to the poor performance of the Italian side, Berlusconi thinks no one will bid for the 23 year old striker.

"Other than Italy, I lost during the World Cup," Berlusconi was quoted as saying in Gazzetta dello Sport. "I was about to sell Balotelli to an English team for several millions. But after this World Cup who will buy him anymore?"

The Arsenal manager already refuted the Balotelli rumor when he was on beIN Sport a week ago, as he said, “No. No, that’s pure invention. We cannot believe absolutely everything that is on internet or is in newspapers. Sometimes it’s created by agents or by press who needs news. But in that case, it’s not true.”