This week, 35-year-old Mario Balotelli, former forward of the Italian national team, signed a contract with the Dubai football club "Al-Ittihad," which competes in the First Division of the United Arab Emirates.
The forward's arrival in the UAE took place at the beginning of the week, and according to reports from local sources, his new agreement is for two and a half years. Interest in the transfer was sparked by the club's post on Instagram, which featured a silhouette of the player with the question: "Our next transfer?"
Currently, "Al-Ittihad" is in last place in the First Division table, having only 6 points after 11 matches. The club's management hopes that Balotelli's experience will help the team get out of the difficult situation.
Throughout his career, Balotelli has represented clubs such as Inter, Manchester City, AC Milan, and Liverpool, and his move to "Al-Ittihad" marks his 14th club and the sixth country in which he will play. The last time he took the field in an official match was for "Genoa" in December 2024. For the Italian national team, the forward played 36 matches and scored 14 goals, last appearing for the national team in 2018.
