Could madcap Mario be on his way back to Milan?

AC Milan are reportedly planning on bringing the barmy but extremely talented Mario Balotelli back to his homeland.

Balotelli is the centre of attention across the water at the moment for a number of reasons.

Not only did he score twice in the 6-1 derby drubbing of Manchester United at the weekend, but he also celebrated by allegedly driving through Manchester in an open top Bentley high-fiving city fans, two days after having to evacuate his home when it caught fire after Balotelli and his mates staged an impromptu and ill-advised home fireworks display.

Although it is his off-field shenanigans that have made him so notoriously famous, the eccentric Italian has been doing the business on the pitch for City this season and is starting to realise the potential that made Roberto Mancini shell out £24 million for his services last summer.

His exploits have not gone unnoticed back in Italy and Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has his eyes on bringing in Balotelli to form what would be a thrilling, if extremely egotistical and temperamental partnership with Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

“Balotelli is my passion, he's a great player,” Galliani told Sky Italia.

“Take him to Milan? Who knows, for now it remains a passion.”

“Ibrahimovic? He's fine and will remain until the end of his contract. Ibra and Balotelli will compensate each other, they would be good together.”

Despite having played for city rivals Inter for three years, Balotelli is famously an AC Milan fan and once courted controversy for wearing the Milan jersey on an Italian TV show.

He has recently said that he is now settled in Manchester after a difficult start to life in the city, a statement which would seem to be backed up by reports of a recent shopping spree in John Lewis in Manchester, where he allegedly picked up a giant trampoline, a table tennis set and Scalextric despite being sent by his mother to pick up some necessary household items.

One thing is for sure, if he does head back to Italy, his antics will certainly be missed.