Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli wants to remain with the Premier League champions.

There has been speculation this season that Balotelli would return to Italy, with AC Milan the favourite to sign the controversial forward, but he isn’t planning on going anywhere.

“I’m staying in Manchester; I want to stay there,” Balotelli said on Wednesday. “So I’d say no to Milan, not now, not in these years. I’m at City.”

Balotelli is with the Italy squad preparing for the European Championship.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli, who introduced a code of ethics when he became coach after the 2010 World Cup, left Balotelli out of the squad for a friendly against the United States in February after the player received a four-match suspension for his stamp on Tottenham midfielder Scott Parker.

“The transfer market doesn’t interest me at the moment,” Balotelli said. “I’m only thinking about the national team, and I can assure you I will never leave it with 10 men at the Euros.

“I want to give it a big helping hand. I want to put aside this idea of a footballer who entertains and has fun, for that of a footballer of a winning side.

“I’ve talked to Prandelli. He doesn’t need to tell me I can’t make a mistake. I know that this is a very important chance for me.”