Mario Balotelli set to join Al-Ittifaq FC in Dubai as 14th club

Goal reports Mario Balotelli is set to complete a transfer to Al-Ittifaq FC of Dubai, which would be the 14th club of his career. The former Manchester City and Liverpool striker has been a free agent since he left Genoa over the summer after signing a season-long deal last October.

He made just six league appearances for Genoa, all from the bench, has not played competitively since December 2024, managed only two shots across 57 minutes of action, and was booked twice; Genoa opted not to extend his contract. Balotelli is reportedly tipped to pen a two-and-a-half year deal, is set to jet to Dubai on Friday to confirm the move, and will be registered with the Emirati side from January 12.

Al-Ittifaq FC play in the UAE First Division, sit bottom with two wins and six points from 11 matches and have scored six league goals; the club are owned by Italian Pietro Laterza, who also owns Serie D side Chievo. While without a club, Balotelli visited the Kandima resort in the Maldives with his family and said: "The island is stunning, the villas are spacious and modern, and waking up in paradise to the ocean every day was exactly why I came.

Key Topics

Sports, Mario Balotelli, Al-ittifaq Fc, Genoa, Pietro Laterza, Kandima Resort