DE LAURENTIIS RUBBISHES BALOTELLI'S NAPOLI MOVE

The ever extroverted Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has rubbished the reports linking the Nice forward with a move to the Italian club Napoli in contrast to what his agent [Mino Raiola] claimed earlier.

"I assure that Mertens will still remain with us, and we are not going to sign Di Maria. As for Mario Balotelli, he knows my favourite response all these years, it is a no. It is a false report that he will join us." De Laurentiis told Radio Kiss Kiss during a quiz session.

The 27 year old striker seems to have lost interest in his current club Nice after spending just two years with the League 1 club having joined from Liverpool, as he is keen on exiting the club.

The Italy international recently forced a move to Marseille which kept him out of Nice training ground, but the move reportedly crashed out of discussion and came to an end thereby makes the Italian open for future approaches.