Mario Balotelli's agent, Mino Raiola, denied that the Liverpool striker is planning to return to Italian Serie A club Inter Milan when the soccer transfer window opens in January.
Inter Milan is reportedly looking to improve their attacking options in January with reports indicating that Balotelli will be one of their main targets.
The Italian club recently inked a deal with returning coach Roberto Mancini, who coached Balotelli before, but Raiola reiterated that the move to Inter Milan is a long shot at this point.
"Mario will not return to Serie A," Raiola told Sky Sports. "Him to Inter? It's impossible, not because Mancini has returned but for other reasons that I don't wish to get into."
Balotelli, who moved to Liverpool in August and is in contract until June 2017, has yet to live up to expectation for the Reds this season. The 24-year-old striker has not scored a goal in nine Barclays Premier League games with reports also indicating that the Italy international is becoming uncoachable.
Balotelli said that his current struggles have nothing to do with being uncoachable like what most fans and analysts are thinking, expressing confidence that he will rediscover his game soon.
"There is nothing in my life that is wrong," Balotelli told Fox Sports Australia. "I train hard, I play, I run. I do everything. It's just that the goal has not come. I think that's just unlucky. I'm not going to think about it, because these things happen. I don't need people to believe in me."
Raiola also defended Balotelli from critics who are questioning his commitment to Italy's national soccer team. Italy head coach Antonio Conte called Balotelli up earlier this month, but did not play in their friendly against Albania and Euro 2016 qualifying match against Croatia.
"There's absolutely no problem with the national team," Raiola said. "The relationship with Conte is fantastic. The head coach is not there to change Mario. If he behaves well then he can be an added value to the national team."
Raiola denied that Balotelli faked an injury during Italy's training camp, saying that the hamstring and groin issue also forced the striker to miss Liverpool's 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
