Mario Balotelli rejected a “very, very large financial offer from China”, reveals Nice President Jean-Pierre Rivère.
It was announced on Monday that the Italian international will stay with Les Aiglons, despite a summer-long pursuit by Marseille.
“Mario always told me: ‘if Nice stay top of the table I can stay for a long time’,” Rivère told the club’s official website.
Mario Balotelli rejected a “very, very large financial offer from China”, reveals Nice President Jean-Pierre Rivère.
It was announced on Monday that the Italian international will stay with Les Aiglons, despite a summer-long pursuit by Marseille.
“Mario always told me: ‘if Nice stay top of the table I can stay for a long time’,” Rivère told the club’s official website.
“At the end of his first season with us we signed a new two-year contract. In that contract there was a presupposition for us to continue to the second year: that OGC Nice be in Europe.
“If we make it into one of the European competitions then we have the financial capacity to accommodate Mario, particularly in terms of salary.
“From the moment that wasn’t the case, there was a clause to significantly reduce his salary.
“So when the 2017-18 season came to an end it was explained to him that our financial capacity wouldn’t allow us to pay him the same salary as before and so therefore he could leave, with everyone’s agreement, under conditions which were well defined.
“It is then normal and natural that Mario listened to the offers that were proposed to him.
“In particular he had a very, verge large financial offer from China, few people would have refused it.
“He rejected it immediately, saying that his only priority was to play in a high-level league, ideally to play in a European cup.
“The sporting challenge proposed by OM, added to the financial conditions, interested him.
“So with our agreement, he talked with Marseille and visited their facilities, but it was equally so with other French and foreign clubs.
“We were always on the lookout, we have made sales and recruited players, while remaining attentive to the evolution of the market.
“Mario’s case wasn’t going anywhere so we thought: ‘if there’s a very small chance we need to try’.
“On Monday, we made a proposal to Mario, giving 24 hours for everyone to reflect. Two or three hours later Mario calls us and announces that he’s staying at Nice.
“He put aside the financial aspect, he appreciated the efforts and let his heart speak.
“He made this choice despite the absence of Europe and in less advantageous salary conditions than elsewhere.
“He has shown us his desire to stay and his dedication to the club.
“We want to give him a leadership role. We’re very happy with the situation and the player is totally involved in our project.”
Super Mario angered fans by initially not turning up for pre-season training.
“It wasn’t a show of disrespect on his part. It was not a showdown, either. In his mind, he was no longer a Nice player. He was going to leave us, he was suspended for the first three games…
“It was clear to him, and we’d told him he could go with our good wishes. When we told him to resume training he took it very well.
“Even if there was a very slim chance of his staying at Nice he resumed training quite naturally. It’s a closed case.”