Inter dismiss Balotelli Arsenal transfer rumours

Internazionale president Massimo Moratti has slammed reports suggesting that striker Mario Balotelli could leave the club in the January transfer window to join Arsenal.

The talented 19-year-old has struggled to hold down a starting spot at the San Siro this season, but Moratti insists that Balotelli has a big future with the club, as long as he impresses coach Jose Mourinho.

He told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "Certainly Balotelli is not on the market and will not be on the market. There is something to adjust between him, the team and the coach, his behaviour in particular, but this is due to his age.

"It's nothing serious, but it takes a certain continuity in getting used to living together with your team-mates, the trainer and certain rules. I don't believe it's anything dramatic.

"We base this assumption on the ability of the player to understand things and Mourinho's ability to make him grow up in such a way as to be useful to the club."

Balotelli's agent and brother, Corrado, later told ANSA: "Mario has a contact that does not expire until 2013 and he will not be moving away from Inter."