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Mario Balotelli To Join AC Milan For £17m (PICTURES)

Arrivederci Mario
Samuel Luckhurst
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Mario Balotelli looks set to end his two-and-a-half-years with Manchester City and sign for AC Milan in a €20million (£17m) deal.

The 22-year-old will ink a four-and-a-half-year contract and the transfer could be worth up to €23m with add-ons, as City take a £4m hit on the 22-year-old striker they paid Internazionale £24m for in August 2010.

As contracts are yet to be signed, a degree of caution is understandable but providing there are no unforeseen hitches, Balotelli will join Milan ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline.

Milan were long regarded as the club Balotelli was likely to join when he returned to Italy and he should become the 33rd player to play for both Internazionale and AC.

Balotelli's departure signals an end to a turbulent but fruitful period in English football, when he was part of the City squad that ended their 35-year trophy drought and went on to win the club's first league title in 44 years.

However his spell in Manchester was pockmarked by numerous instances of indiscipline on and off the pitch, and the irascible Italian's altercation with coach Roberto Mancini effectively signalled the end of his time at Eastlands.

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Balotelli in the stands of the San Siro for the Milan derby earlier this season

Ironically Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi called Balotelli a "rotten apple" earlier this month.

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."

Mancini, who has a penchant for saying the opposite of what will happen, said earlier this month Balotelli would not be sold.

Mario Balotelli's Manchester City career
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Arriving, August 2010
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Same name, same number, different shirt
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Red card number one, November 2010
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Much to Mancini's chagrin
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Some friendly advice
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A strop at West Ham, November 2010
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'Shove off'
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He occasionally scored...
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Blondie
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The victim
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The outcome, vs Dynamo Kiev, March 2011
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Giving it to United fans in the 2011 semi-final
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Only to be set upon
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He is not really there
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Getting heated in LA
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Unwisely squaring up to Nemanja Vidić
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Really?
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A rare hug from the boss
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That T-shirt...
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Content
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Goodbye
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'Get off'
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Shouldering it in against Norwich
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Having a word with the Chelsea fans
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Another victim, Scott Parker (but no red card)
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And staying on to score the winner
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Withdrawn in Porto after being racially abused
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Another terrible T-shirt
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Not getting his way against Sunderland
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Checking on a maimed Alexandre Song
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Another red card
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Itching to take on Joey Barton
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Champion
Mario Balotelli Sighting - Manchester(34 of52)
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Mario Balotelli is seen out and about in Manchester City Centre. (credit:PA)
Manchester City FC v Borussia Dortmund - UEFA Champions League(35 of52)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 03: Roman Weidenfeller of Borussia Dortmund has words with Mario Balotelli of Manchester City prior to the equalising penalty kick during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium on October 3, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City FC v Borussia Dortmund - UEFA Champions League(36 of52)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 03: Mario Balotelli of Manchester City gestures to Roman Weidenfeller of Borussia Dortmund after scoring an equalising penalty kick during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium on October 3, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
AFC Ajax v Manchester City FC - UEFA Champions League(37 of52)
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AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - OCTOBER 24: Referee Svein Oddvar Moen of Norway intervenes as Mario Balotelli of Manchester City argues with Eyong Enoh of Ajax as Yaya Toure looks on during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between AFC Ajax v Manchester City at the Amsterdam Arena on October 24, 2012 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
FBL-ENG-PR-MAN CITY-SWANSEA(38 of52)
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Swansea City's Welsh defender Ashley Williams (R) and Manchester City's Italian striker Mario Balotelli (L) clash during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Swansea City at The Etihad stadium in Manchester, north-west England on October 27, 2012. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City FC v Ajax Amsterdam - UEFA Champions League(39 of52)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 06: Mario Balotelli of Manchester City protests to Referee Peter Rasmussen after he denied him a penalty during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Manchester City FC and Ajax Amsterdam at the Etihad Stadium on November 6, 2012 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Soccer - UEFA Champions League - Group D - Manchester City v Ajax - Etihad Stadium(40 of52)
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Manchester City's Mario Balotelli (left) and his team-mates appeal to referee Peter Rasmussen (credit:PA)
FBL-ENG-PR-WIGAN-MAN CITY(41 of52)
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Manchester City's Italian striker Mario Balotelli (R) celebrates after scoring their opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester City at The DW Stadium in Wigan, north-west England on November 28, 2012. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City Sighting - Manchester(42 of52)
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Mario Balotelli, Man City, seen at Manchester airport before the team fly out to Dortmund, Germany. (credit:PA)
Mario Balotelli Sighting - Manchester(43 of52)
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Mario Balotelli seen at a petrol station in Alderley Edge, Cheshire. (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Manchester United - Etihad Stadium(44 of52)
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Manchester United's Wayne Rooney (centre) celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game with teammates as Manchester City's Mario Balotelli (left) stands dejected (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Manchester United - Etihad Stadium(45 of52)
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Manchester City's Mario Balotelli (left) looks towards manager Roberto Mancini without response as he is substituted off the pitch (credit:PA)
Mario Balotelli Sighting - Manchester(46 of52)
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Mario Balotelli leaves San Carlo Italian Restaurant in Manchester on Monday night. (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Manchester United - Etihad Stadium(47 of52)
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Manchester City's Mario Balotelli (left) looks towards manager Roberto Mancini without response as he is substituted off the pitch (credit:PA)
Manchester City Sighting - Stockport(48 of52)
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Mario Balotelli seen at Stockport Train Station. (credit:PA)
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Manchester City's Mario Balotelli smiles as he replaces teammate Edin Dzeko, right, near the end of their English Premier League soccer match against Arsenal at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium in London, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
Manchester City v Fulham - Premier League(50 of52)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 19: Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero of Manchester City look on from the bench during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Fulham at the Etihad Stadium on January 19, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Mario Balotelli Sighting - Manchester(51 of52)
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Mario Balotelli seen out and about in Manchester. Editor's Note - Car Numberplate Obscured. (credit:PA)
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