Everton owner Farhad Moshiri was eager to invest in a bold new strike force for the club, eyeing a partnership between Moise Kean and Mario Balotelli that promised both potential and volatility. However, former Everton director of football Marcel Brands revealed he had to intervene to prevent the deal, cautioning Moshiri against bringing in Balotelli, a former Liverpool player who had struggled during his time at Anfield.
Balotelli had arrived at Liverpool in 2014 to replace Luis Suarez but quickly fell short of expectations and was eventually loaned back to AC Milan, exiting Liverpool after only 28 appearances. Despite his mixed record, Moshiri considered signing him, a move that reflected some of the more questionable transfer decisions under his ownership.
Brands, now PSV Eindhoven’s president, shared the story with Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad, explaining how agent Mino Raiola initially floated the idea of signing Balotelli as a partner for Kean. Raiola argued that Balotelli’s pace, skill, and physicality would complement Kean well, making the duo a formidable threat. Raiola’s pitch reportedly won over Moshiri, but Brands ultimately decided against it.
Brands recognized that while Kean’s signing was already a gamble, adding Balotelli could have created more problems than benefits. He explained his concerns to Raiola, who accepted the decision with good humor, jokingly calling Brands “beautiful” for his honesty.
Looking back, Brands noted that while Moshiri was willing to spend to strengthen the team, he, as director of football, had to ensure decisions aligned with Everton’s overall strategy. He respected Raiola’s intelligence and persistence but appreciated that Raiola accepted candid feedback. Since then, Balotelli has continued his career across various leagues, recently joining Serie A club Genoa at age 34 after spells in France, Turkey, Italy, and Switzerland.
