Nice President Jean-Pierre Rivère won’t discuss Mario Balotelli’s future – “it’s already complicated, I don’t want to add to it”.
The Italian’s agent, Mino Raiola, claimed that his client would be a free agent this summer, attracting the interest of Marseille.
Nice President Jean-Pierre Rivère won’t discuss Mario Balotelli’s future – “it’s already complicated, I don’t want to add to it”.
The Italian’s agent, Mino Raiola, claimed that his client would be a free agent this summer, attracting the interest of Marseille.
However, it later emerged that there was another year on Super Mario’s contract, and L’Équipe reported that what had actually been agreed was that he could leave for €10m.
While OM might be willing to pay that, they won't pay a transfer fee and give Raiola his commission.
There are 11 days to go until the French transfer window closes, and Les Aiglons’ owner doesn’t know what will happen.
“As soon as there’s closure on this subject then I’m at your disposal to explain everything to you,” Rivère said on RMC Radio.
“You have a club which has a player, and the club grants an exit ticket to that player. We respect gentleman’s agreements, along with his agent. Then there are third parties who know the conditions – it’s very complicated.
“Everyone does what they want with their own club, it’s very difficult to run a club and I’m not going to talk about another club [Marseille], come back to me when the transfer window shuts.
“It’s an ongoing issue and a very sensitive one, I can’t really speak about it. We’re not getting hung up on this subject, the player is suspended for three matches, him being late to training is between the club and the player.
“I’ll explain everything to you at the end, I have to be reserved right now. There are simple affairs, but this is a more complicated one.
“It’s already complicated and I don’t want to add to it.”