The 19-year-old, dropped countless times by former Inter coach Jose Mourinho last term for an array of antics, is likely to start in London alongside fellow debutant striker Amauri and recalled playmaker Antonio Cassano.
GEAR:Get an Italian shirt
"The idea of starting with Balotelli is that I want to use all the attacking potential at my disposal," new Italy coach Cesare Prandelli, who succeeded Marcello Lippi after their woeful World Cup group stage exit in June, told reporters.
"I don't give any importance to numbers even if I understand that historically 10 makes fans think of fantasy," Prandelli added of the creative Cassano, ignored for two years by Lippi because of previous discipline problems.
World Cup goalkeeper Federico Marchetti has left the training base near Florence with a minor injury so Parma's Antonio Mirante has been called up as another new cap.
