Mario Balotelli hits a new low as Corinthians move breaks down at the last stage due to new concerns over former Man City striker

The proposed move to Brazil appears to be off after Rudy Galetti reported that Corinthians decided against finalising the deal. It is said there were "internal disagreements" within the Sao Paulo-based club, as well as "doubts" about Balotelli's physical condition - he has effectively been without a club since May.

Interest in Balotelli from Corinthians came out of the blue in the first place, as he was let go following a second spell at Adana Demirspor in Turkey. But it seemed as though a deal worth €3 million (£2.5m/$3.3m) per season until 2026 was in place.

Balotelli came under scrutiny earlier this month when he was filmed appearing to fall down drunk. "I don't see the problem with having a night out with friends, having fun and joking around, without hurting anyone," the 33-year-old said in response.

Balotelli faces going into the new season without a club but that is unlikely to worry him. In 2019, he didn't sign with Brescia until the second half of August, while he was without a club for several months in the second half of 2020. Moves to Sion in 2022 and Adana Demirspor in 2023 also came in late August and even September respectively. The fact that he was willing to move out of Europe opens the Italian's options up even wider when it comes to finding a fresh challenge.