Mario Balotelli has been branded "a rotten apple" by AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi, casting doubt on a potential move to the Serie A side.
Balotelli has regularly been linked with a return to Milan since he joined Manchester City from Internazionale in 2010.
The irascible Italian even incurred the wrath of former Inter coach José Mourinho when he wore a Milan shirt to training on one occasion.
However Berlusconi has attacked the Italy striker and claimed his nature could "infect every group".
The Rossoneri president said: "The name of Balotelli never came into my thoughts, he is a rotten apple and could infect every group where he goes, even Milan.
"I'm sorry to say this, but in Milan is very important to the human aspect. If you put a rotten apple in the locker room can infect all the others."
Balotelli was last week involved in a training ground row with coach Roberto Mancini and had to be restrained by a member of staff.
It was the latest in a series of scuffles he has had with first-team members at City during training in the two-and-a-half-years he has spent in Manchester.
Balotelli has also been sent off four times for the Citizens and his indiscipline has clashed with Mancini's own volatile temper.
