Italian striker Mario Balotelli has been signed by Genoa as a free agent, the Serie A club.
The former Manchester City player had been without a team since leaving Turkish side Adana Demirspor earlier this summer.
Balotelli returns to Italy more than three years after departing Monza.
He was part of Manchester City’s title-winning squad in 2012 and now joins a struggling Genoa team currently sitting in the relegation zone.
Managed by Alberto Gilardino, Genoa occupies 18th place, having earned just six points from their first nine matches.
Balotelli, 34, made headlines during his Premier League tenure, notably for a training-ground clash with manager Roberto Mancini and his memorable ‘why always me?’ T-shirt celebration after scoring against Manchester United in a 6-1 victory at Old Trafford.
During his time at Manchester City, he netted 30 goals in two and a half seasons, playing a crucial role in securing the club’s first league title since 1968.
Following a brief stint at AC Milan, he experienced an unsuccessful spell at Liverpool in 2014, which included a loan return to Milan.
Over the years, Balotelli has played for various clubs across Europe, including French teams Nice and Marseille, as well as Italian clubs Brescia and Monza.
He was also part of the Italy squad that finished as runners-up at Euro 2012 but has not represented his country since 2018.
