Balotelli Ends Short Spell With Marseille

By Joshua Walters

After just six months with Olympic Marseille, Mario Balotelli has left the club, president Henri Eyraud confirmed on Wednesday.

Having terminated his contract with Nice, the former Inter Milan striker signed a short-term contract with Marseille which was expected to run out till the end of the season.

The Orange Velodrome outfit were keen on keeping the controversial forward, but their failure to book a place for Champions League football next season has caused them to reduce their wage budget.

The situation has linked most of their highest-paid players like Kevin Strootman, Adil Rami, Luiz Gustavo with a move away from the side after the departure of Lucas Ocampos to Spanish LaLiga side Sevilla.

"At the moment we are [working] on two or three areas to adapt if there are unexpected departures and that we would have to replace," Eyraud told L'Equipe.

"The attacking position has to be filled, since Mario Balotelli will not continue with Marseille. We are looking beyond the position of attacker, however, including centre-back."

In a short spell with Marseille, Balotelli managed to score 8 goals in fifteen Ligue 1 appearances for the club in the 2018/19 season.

The confirmation of his departure will now pave way for the 28-year-old to return to either Italy or England as he has been linked with both Napoli and West Ham United.