4. Financial Fair Play
Following on from this, selling now does not make financial sense. City will do well to recoup the 22million initial transfer fee, and Balotelli will expect a loyalty payment before he leaves as he hasn't publicly requested a transfer. Very few teams can afford the pay Balotelli the money he is on, around £170,000 a week according to the
Guardian , while even fewer would be willing to pay those wages to a player as unpredictable and volatile as the Italian. Although City halved their losses last season, they were still
£93.4million in the red before tax and selling Balotelli at a loss will not help their ambitions to fulfil Uefas financial fair play commitments. Add to this the fact Mancini would want a replacement signed (he chased Robin van Persie in the summer), and that replacement would be a proven forward and not someone with potential, City would be big net spenders on the two deals. The likes of Radamel Falcao or Edinson Cavani would cost £50million at least, and with no more Champions League revenue coming in the board would be looking at another big loss this season. Mancini can either sell Balotelli now while his value is low and have his spending cut off in the next few windows, or he can find a way to use the Italian and the other resources at the club and have the potential to spend next summer.