Interesting, if hes good enough for the national team he is good enough for our bench, and it seems he might have been told a move to us would increase his chances in the national team.
Italy's new coach Cesare Prandelli may enlist stars Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano for the team's first match since its disastrous exit from the World Cup, an Italian sports daily reported Monday.
"Cassano could play centre and Balotelli on the left," Prandelli told sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview.
"But I can't say whether they will play together in London" in a friendly match against Ivory Coast next Monday, he said.
Prandelli said he believed Sampdoria playmaker Cassano, 28, had finally matured after getting married in June.
Prandelli's predecessor Marcello Lippi snubbed both Cassano and Balotelli, Inter Milan's teenaged forward, for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Reigning champions Italy were embarrassingly bundled out of the tournament after three matches following a shock 3-2 defeat to Slovakia that left them at the bottom of what had looked like a fairly easy group, including Paraguay and rank outsiders New Zealand.
Many observers blamed the dismal showing on Lippi's decision to tap experienced but ageing players over young Turks Balotelli and Cassano.
Prandelli said he believed 19-year-old Balotelli's imminent move from Inter Milan to Manchester City would improve his chances of playing for the national team.
"I will call up those actually playing on their teams, so I prefer to see Balotelli as a regular player in England than as a reserve in Italy," Prandelli said
Italy's new coach Cesare Prandelli may enlist stars Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano for the team's first match since its disastrous exit from the World Cup, an Italian sports daily reported Monday.
"Cassano could play centre and Balotelli on the left," Prandelli told sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview.
"But I can't say whether they will play together in London" in a friendly match against Ivory Coast next Monday, he said.
Prandelli said he believed Sampdoria playmaker Cassano, 28, had finally matured after getting married in June.
Prandelli's predecessor Marcello Lippi snubbed both Cassano and Balotelli, Inter Milan's teenaged forward, for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Reigning champions Italy were embarrassingly bundled out of the tournament after three matches following a shock 3-2 defeat to Slovakia that left them at the bottom of what had looked like a fairly easy group, including Paraguay and rank outsiders New Zealand.
Many observers blamed the dismal showing on Lippi's decision to tap experienced but ageing players over young Turks Balotelli and Cassano.
Prandelli said he believed 19-year-old Balotelli's imminent move from Inter Milan to Manchester City would improve his chances of playing for the national team.
"I will call up those actually playing on their teams, so I prefer to see Balotelli as a regular player in England than as a reserve in Italy," Prandelli said
