Ghana still remains keen on convincing Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli that he will be better off playing for the Black Stars rather than the Italian national team.
The player who turns 19 this year has persistently turned down overtures from Ghanaian football authorities but Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantekyie says he remains the prized asset for the GFA.
“We won’t give up on Balotelli now because if we have somebody like him our team it will be a huge addition,” he told KickOffGhana.com. “He is such a fine player and on a regular basis we will seek to convince him that Ghana offers him better prospects at international level than Italy does.”
Balotelli was born to Ghanaian immigrants in Italy but adopted by an Italian family when he was three and has insisted his heart lies with the Azzuri.
He has already represented Italy at junior level but Nyantekyie believes new FIFA rules which removed the age cap on when make the switch to another country can help Ghana.
“It is those of us in Africa who have players in Europe so the rule change has special meaning for the continent. From a Ghanaian viewpoint, it opens a wonderful opportunity to expand who we can call into the national team.”
