Mario Balotelli given deadline on transfer decision as lower tier Spanish side offer shirt sales percentage to convince ex-Man City and Liverpool striker

Real Murcia, a club in Spain's third-tier, have set a deadline of Sunday for Balotelli to accept their offer, Onda Regional reports. The former Manchester City and Liverpool striker's agents have been in direct talks with the club's president, Felipe Moreno. The club's proposal is worth around €500,000 and is considered outside their usual financial parameters, but a unique structure has been created to make it possible.

For Murcia, the potential signing of Balotelli is a calculated gamble. Despite the striker's recent injury issues and limited playing time last season at Genoa, the club sees him as a dual asset: a proven player with sporting quality to aid their push for promotion and a major marketing draw. By offering Balotelli a percentage of his shirt sales and allowing him to bring in his own sponsors, Murcia believes they can cover the financial costs while benefiting from the commercial spark his high-profile name would generate. This ambitious move reflects the club's new strategy of exploring the international market for talent, moving beyond their traditional focus on local and Brazilian players.

Balotelli, 34, is looking for a new club after an unsuccessful spell at Genoa. He joined the Serie A side in October last year but he made just six appearances before his exit this summer. Balotelli has endured a bizarre career that started with him being labelled the next best thing as he broke through at Inter. He attracted controversy throughout his time at Manchester City, AC Milan and Liverpool as the spark quickly faded. He ended up spending three years at Nice, but has since only had brief spells at Marseille, Brescia, Monza, Adana Demirspor (twice), Sion and Genoa.

The ball is now firmly in Balotelli's court. The ex-AC Milan striker has until the end of Sunday to make a final decision on his future. Should he accept the offer, he will embark on a new chapter in his career in Spain's third tier, which could provide him with regular game time and a chance to reignite his profile.