City-bound Balotelli holds Milan leaving party

Mario Balotelli claims he will soon be a Manchester City player - and has even held his own leaving party in Milan.

Balotelli has told friends that he has agreed a four-year deal worth £65,000-a-week to be reunited with his old Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini at Eastlands.

Sources in Italy claim the move is all but done with City having clinched a £27million transfer fee with Inter.

The Blues have yet to comment on today's reports from Italy, but Balotelli is so certain that he is going that he staged an impromptu leaving party with his mates in a trendy Milan cafe on Saturday night.

His friends unveiled a hastily-made banner, which read 'Even 1000km away, you'll always be in our hearts'.

The controversial Italy Under-21 striker is due to fly to America with Inter this week and, ironically, may make his City debut against Rafa Benitez's side in Baltimore on Saturday.

Mancini did not say a deal had been done when asked about Balotelli over the weekend and suggested that Inter's asking price was too high.

"There is money to sign everyone, but not to pay them a lot, as some people are saying," said the Italian.

"He is one of the four or five strikers that interest us.

"I was the first to believe in him and I'm convinced about what he can do.

"Mario has two qualities that suit us, his talent and his age, because I want people able to build a cycle at Manchester City.

"But we come back to the problem of the valuation, which must be resolved.

"I think in about 10 days certain situations will be clearer."

Mancini also remains keen on Fernando Torres, but privately concedes he is unlikely to land the Liverpool striker this summer.