Mario Balotelli Receives Warm Welcome From Nice President After Transfer Move

After a spell at Liverpool that never came close to working out, striker Mario Balotelli finally found an Anfield escape with a deadline day move to Ligue 1 side Nice.

It was an interesting turn for a player who has been in the spotlight from a young age, but perhaps the move to a quieter atmosphere will be best for him as he tries to revive his career at the age of 26.

That's what Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere, who welcomed Balotelli to the club yesterday, is hoping will happen.

"We are very pleased to welcome Mario," Rivere said (via the Echo). "We hope that at Nice, in a family-like atmosphere, he will find the real pleasure of playing the game."

"We know him and he knows us. Nothing will come easy but with his desire and hopefully with the support of our fans, we will allow him to flourish and his talent will come to the service of the team," he added.

Though Liverpool fans were left frustrated by the ultimate lack of production from Balotelli, it's easy to pull for him to turn his career around in France. There's no doubt that in the right situation he has the ability to put his immense talent to good use.