Mario Balotelli agent hits back at Silvio Berlusconi

Mario Balotelli's agent has hit out at Silvio Berlusconi following his criticism of the Manchester City star.

Mino Raiola warned the AC Milan president the he made a "huge mistake" when he described the striker as a "rotten apple" after his training ground bust-up with Sky Blues boss Roberto Mancini.

"Balotelli is not a bad apple. He is a cherry," the agent told Sky Sport Italia. "I think that in this case the president made a huge mistake, it was a real gaffe."

Balotelli has been linked with a return to Italy in the wake of his latest run-in with his manager, with Napoli said to be tabling a bid, but Raiola insists that such rumours are untrue.

"As for Balotelli's chances of returning to Italy right now, I'd give it at 0.0001%. Napoli? There is absolutely nothing in this story."

Balotelli joined City from Inter Milan in 2010.