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Balotelli seals Serie A return with free transfer to hometown club Brescia

Xavier Laine / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Mario Balotelli is back in Serie A.

Three years after leaving Italy, the mercurial striker joined hometown club Brescia on a free transfer from Marseille on Sunday, signing a multi-year contract.

Having spent his childhood in northern Italy with his adoptive parents, Balotelli is now tasked with keeping Brescia in the top flight. Eugenio Corini's side was promoted to Serie A in May after finishing in first in Serie B.

However, Balotelli will have to wait a month to make his debut. Serie A will honor the suspension that Ligue 1 handed to him for a high tackle in his final match with Marseille last season, meaning he'll miss fixtures against Cagliari, former club AC Milan, Bologna, and Udinese.

The ban will expire in time for Balotelli to face Juventus on Sept. 24.

He reportedly turned down an offer from Brazilian outfit Flamengo to seal a return to his homeland, where he'll likely form a two-man partnership with Serie B's Golden Boot winner, Alfredo Donnarumma.

Balotelli will earn around €4.5 million per season after taxes, according to Sky Sport Italia's Gianluca Di Marzio.

Marseille released Balotelli in June after he made just nine league starts for the south-coast giants.

The 29-year-old, who was born in Sicily to Ghanaian immigrants and raised by the Balotelli family in Brescia, is still trying to reclaim a place in the Italian national team. Although he has 36 caps to his name, his last international appearances came nearly a year ago against Poland in the UEFA Nations League.

Balotelli last played in Serie A with Milan during the 2015-16 season.

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