Al-Ittifaq’s move for Mario Balotelli was not a sudden gamble but a carefully developed idea that gained momentum through dialogue, timing and direct intervention from the club’s leadership, according to chief executive Antonio Fulco.
Speaking about the negotiations, Fulco outlined how discussions evolved from initial targets to the eventual decision to secure the former Italy international as a free agent.
Fulco explained that Al-Ittifaq were initially exploring multiple high-profile options, including experienced names from Serie B, before Balotelli’s profile emerged during internal talks.
He said the process intensified once contact was established, with early conversations proving decisive in assessing feasibility and intent.
“We had a top free agent and another top Serie B player in our pocket, Mattia Destro and (Daniele) Verde… Then, while speaking with the president, the idea of Mario came up,” Fulco told TMW.
“There was a positive vibe from the start… Then the president personally stepped in, giving that extra something to close the deal,” he added.
Balotelli, 35, joins the UAE First Division side after leaving Genoa last summer, having remained active by playing and coaching in the Maldives.
He has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Al-Ittifaq, an Emirati club founded just six years ago and currently bottom of the table after winning only two of their 11 matches and scoring six goals.
Fulco stressed that Balotelli was the club’s final foreign signing of the window and part of a broader strategy to elevate standards. “We want to raise the bar. And in the long run, we want to move up a division,” he said.
The move marks the 14th club of Balotelli’s career, which began with Inter Milan in 2007 and included a Champions League triumph under José Mourinho, a Premier League title with Manchester City, and spells at AC Milan, Liverpool and Nice.
While his recent European stints yielded limited returns, Al-Ittifaq are banking on his experience and profile to spark a turnaround in their survival push.
