Balotelli 'unlikely' to remain at Nice as Vieira loses Ligue 1 opener

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After losing his first league game in charge at Nice, Patrick Vieira faced questions over Mario Balotelli's future at the French club.

Nice will "try to do whatever is possible" to help Mario Balotelli seal a move away from the French club, according to Patrick Vieira.

Striker Balotelli was not involved on Saturday as new boss Vieira suffered a losing start in Ligue 1, Nice going down 1-0 at home to newly promoted Reims.

Asked about the absence of the Italy international, Vieira confirmed the player had made clear his desire to move on after two seasons at the Allianz Riviera, and therefore was not considered for selection.

"The player wants to leave, so it’s unlikely he’ll remain here," the former Arsenal midfielder said in an interview with Canal+.

"We want players whose desire it is to go forward with the club. It’s a very complicated and difficult situation, so the club will try to do whatever is possible to help him leave."

Balotelli - who has scored 33 league goals since joining Nice after a disastrous spell with Liverpool - held talks over a move to domestic rivals Marseille, only for negotiations to hit a stumbling block.

The 27-year-old has also been linked with a return to Serie A, albeit Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis emphatically dismissed the idea of signing the former Inter and AC Milan forward last month.