Agent quiet on Balotelli interest

The 19-year-old has netted 12 times in 40 Serie A outings since arriving from Lumezzane in 2007, but has been omitted by Nerazzurri  chief Jose Mourinho on more than one occasion in the past for displaying both a poor attitude and questionable temperament.

The forward was recently dismissed in the Champions League clash with Rubin Kazan, and saw red for the Italian U21s during the European Championships in Sweden this summer for retaliating to a challenge from the hosts' Pontus Wernbloom.

Despite these blots on his copybook, Gunners' boss Arsene Wenger revealed his admiration for the forward last month, tipping him to excel in Europe, while West Ham were also linked with the player during the close-season.

And, according to The Sun, scouts for the Emirates Stadium side were in Italy last week to watch Balotelli in action as the San Siro outfit thumped Genoa 5-0.

Balotelli could be available for at least a loan move in the New Year, with Diego Milito, Samuel Eto'o, David Suazo and Mario Arnautovic all vying for first-team places up-front at Inter.

However, the player's agent and brother Corrado Balotelli refused to be drawn on the subject.

"I don't want to respond about this. I have no comments to make about it," he told Goal.com