Football
Ian Holyman, France correspondent 6y

Mario Balotelli must be allowed to leave Nice - Patrick Vieira

Mario Balotelli remains highly likely to move on from Nice, with coach Patrick Vieira urging the club to "do what's necessary to enable him to leave."

Balotelli did not attend the start of preseason training last month, arriving at the club two weeks later after talks over a proposed move to Marseille had ground to a halt.

The former Manchester City and Liverpool striker played no part in Nice's 1-0 defeat to Reims in their Ligue 1 season-opener on Saturday, and Vieira told Canal Plus that Balotelli did not want to extend his two-year stay.

"It's going to be very complicated, very difficult, as the player wants to leave," the former New York City FC boss, who took over earlier this summer, said.

"What's important, for me and for the club, is to keep players who want to help the club improve -- and from the moment Mario has decided he wants to leave, the club has to do what's necessary to let him leave."

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