Transfer news: Jose Mourinho refuses to rule out bringing AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli to Chelsea

Mourinho says 'you never know the future' following reports that Balotelli would pursue a move back to the Premier League with the pair keen to work together again

Jose Mourinho has refused to rule out a move for AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, having worked together at Inter Milan (pictured) (Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho has refused to rule out a move for former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli following reports that the Italian is unsettled with life at AC Milan.

Balotelli joined the Serie A club in January 2013 after Roberto Mancini decided to cut his losses and sell the 23-year-old, deciding that his liability and temper outweighed his potential of budding into a world class striker.

Recent reports suggest the striker would be in favour of a move back to the Premier League, and while Balotelli is yet to confirm where he sees his future, Mourinho has admitted he’d like to work with him once more having teamed up together at Inter Milan.

“In football you never know the future,” said Mourinho when speaking to Yahoo.

“Balotelli is with a big club at the moment but you never know the future.

“They want to keep the best players and want to keep the best Italian players. But Mario has already been in English football before.

“I'm not going to be manager of Milan or the Italy national team, but he's a good kid and somebody I'd like to work with again.”

Earlier this year, Balotelli revealed that he would love the opportunity to work under Mourinho’s guidance once again, and while they had some issues during the Portuguese’s early days at the San Siro, their relationship soon turned to one of mutual respect and friendship.

“Of course I would like to play under Jose again,” Balotelli said earlier this year.

“In my first days at Inter we had some problems, but then it turned into a mutual respect, and now we have a real friendship.

“It is never boring playing under Jose. When you are in Mourinho's team it is a family and he coaches on the principal that if all is well with the family it doesn't matter what is going on outside the team.”

Mourinho is openly looking for a new striker, having seen his current crop struggle in front of goal in the form of Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto’o and Demba Ba. Recently, the Blues manager was captured revealing his interest in Radamel Falcao in an off-the-record conversation with French TV channel Canal Plus, with the Monaco striker having gained his interest in the past.

Having scored 30 goals in his 80 appearances for City, Balotelli would offer Chelsea an X-factor in front of goal that they currently lack, although his knack for landing himself in trouble saw him feature in the headlines more predominantly than his on-field performances.

Milan landed the Italy international, who will lead the country’s attack in this summer’s World Cup, joined Milan for over £16.4m last year, though Chelsea have more than enough to cover the fee t would require to bring him back to these shores.