Football
Ian Holyman, France correspondent 7y

Mario Balotelli due to extend his contract with Nice - report

Mario Balotelli is set to sign a new contract with Nice, a report in France claims.

Balotelli, 26, moved to the Ligue 1 side when he left Liverpool just under a year ago, signing a 12-month deal.

The striker proved an instant hit in France, scoring 15 league goals -- a career-best tally for a season -- as Nice finished third last term, leading coach Lucien Favre to call the move "a good idea."

Balotelli had been expected to leave Nice after a season, but Nice-Matin has reported that he will remain at the club.

The paper cites a source close to the club saying "there are a few details to be ironed out" before the ex-Inter Milan, Manchester City and AC Milan player puts pen to paper.

It adds Balotelli is expected to team up with the rest of the squad on Wednesday ahead of Nice's Champions League third qualifying round first-leg tie on July 25 or 26.

Speaking on Saturday, Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere, who engineered the deal that brought Balotelli to France, told C8: "We'll see if he will still be with us, but our goal is to build a team quietly and calmly. Next Monday, we're expecting him for preseason. He should be there, because he's still under contract with us."

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