Soccer: Mario Balotelli's agent has dismissed claims that the Manchester City striker is set to leave the club for AC Milan.
Balotelli was involved in a training ground bust-up with Jerome Boateng last week and is said to be finding it hard to settle with Roberto Mancini's side.
The 20-year-old Italian has been no stranger to controversy since joining from Inter Milan for £24m in the summer and was dogged by disciplinary problems while with the European champions.
However, Mino Raiola has dismissed claims that Balotelli will leave England to join the club he has supported since he was a small boy.
"Balotelli went to City and will remain there for several years. It is impossible for him to join Milan in June, almost impossible," Raiola told Telelombardia. "He went to City with a strong commitment to Mancini and he should thank him for his confidence. But, the fate of Mario doesn't depend on Mancini."
City defender Joleon Lescott insists Balotelli and Boateng are friends despite Friday's row. Boateng played no part in City's 1-0 win over Bolton on Saturday, but Balotelli started up frony with Carlos Tevez.
Lescott believes the scuffle was blown out of proportion by the media and that despite clashing the players remain friends.
"They are pals," explained Lescott. "It is just the way they wanted to win in training. I can't remember the way it started and obviously it wasn't going someone's way. They were talking straight afterwards. They sit together at lunch and dinner so there is no ill-feeling between the two of them.
"That kind of thing has happened at every club I have been at. It is no surprise to anyone. But the media tend to make it bigger than it is and the way things are at this club at the moment, people perceive things that are not happening."