West Ham defender Pablo Zabaleta thinks highly of his former teammate.
West Ham United have been linked with a shock move for Nice forward Mario Balotelli, report Turkish media outlet Aspor.
It is a transfer rumour which on the face of it is easy to dismiss. West Ham is an unstable club at present with all the backlash against the owners and dissatisfaction with the stadium.
Dropping an unpredictable character like Mario Balotelli into the tinderbox is potential recipe for disaster.
Or is it?
West Ham defender Pablo Zabaleta played alongside Balotelli at Manchester City, and spoke kindly of the Italian when he left the club.
Zabaleta reflected on Balotelli’s jokey demeanour, and just perhaps, his presence might actually lighten the mood and cheer spirits up at the club on and off the pitch.
He told SkySports in 2013: “Life is a bit different, Mario is a great lad and we’re missing him the last three days.
“The dressing room is not the same, with him there’s always something to laugh at.”
Balotelli has rediscovered his goalscoring touch at Nice, where he has scored 22 goals in 29 games this season.
Available on a free transfer, Balotelli should not be dismissed out of hand by any club.
West Ham fans have taken to lovable rogues like Paolo di Canio and Carlos Tevez in the past.
If Balotelli can lighten the mood off the pitch and score goals on it, he might just be a top signing for the Hammers after all.
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