City always first choice – Balotelli

Mario Balotelli insisted Manchester City were always top of his wish list when he was about to leave Inter.

The 20-year-old striker was unveiled at a press conference yesterday and said he was thrilled to be at Eastlands.

Balotelli said: “I am happy to be here at Manchester City because of the manager (Roberto Mancini) and the environment. I was sorry to leave my family and friends behind in Italy but not for professional reasons.”

Balotelli was frequently criticised by Jose Mourinho, his coach at Inter last season. However, he said: “I am not a bad boy. I am just a normal guy.”

City boss Mancini added: “All of us are said to be bad boys when we are young.

“But I have worked with Mario before and he is a normal person. He is a young player, only 20 years old, who can do a lot in the Premier League. He has all the qualities needed to become a fantastic player.”

Balotelli could make a surprise debut tomorrow against Timisoara in the Europa League.

It was widely expected that the striker, who joined the club last week on a five-year deal, arrived too late to be included in the squad. However, UEFA confirmed that Balotelli still had a chance of playing in the play-off first-leg match as one change can be made to the original list.

City, though, face a race against time as the 20-year-old’s registration needs to approved by both the Football Association and UEFA before midnight today.