Balotelli heads to AC Milan after turbulent time with champions

The Manchester City striker flew out to Italy after a deal was agreed with the Serie A club that will end one of the most controversial Premier League careers.

“Transfer agreement for Balotelli signed with Manchester City,” said Milan director Umberto Gandini on Twitter.

“Medicals tomorrow in Milan, then personal terms until 2017 signing.”

It is believed Milan have agreed to pay around £20m for the player, with some of the fee being made up by bonuses.

City have so far made no comment on the matter.

As contracts are yet to be signed, a degree of caution is understandable.

However, providing there are no unforeseen hitches, Balotelli will join Milan ahead of tomorrow’s transfer deadline, thus ending a remarkable two-and-a-half-year stay with the Blues during which time the forward has attracted more headlines for off-the-field incidents as success on it.

A member of City’s starting line-up in the 2011 FA Cup final, when they ended a 35-year wait for a trophy, Balotelli also provided the crucial stoppage-time pass that set up Sergio Aguero for the dramatic Premier League title-winning goal at the Etihad Stadium last May.

Yet that momentous afternoon came just five weeks after manager Roberto Mancini had said Balotelli would never play for City again after the striker was sent off at Arsenal, having managed to avoid a red card for a dreadful challenge on Alex Song.

Such lapses in professionalism have scarred Balotelli’s time with the Blues.

There have been numerous training ground bust-ups; only recently he had to be separated from his manager after he lunged in on Scott Sinclair, while his petulant on-pitch behaviour led to City imposing a fine which he threatened to challenge at a tribunal until finally backing down in December.

After returning from Euro 2012 with his reputation enhanced by a series of impressive performances, he has made negligible impact on the Blues’ title defence.