MLS may be Mario Balotelli's best bet

11:22 AM ET 01.13 | A new year, a new Mario Balotelli incident. It seems, finally, a training ground melee with Roberto Mancini has pushed the Italian manager's patience to the limit. After two-and-a-half years in Manchester - after the darts incident, after the fireworks, the car crashes, the mafia connections, the visit to a women's prison, after all the confirmed and unconfirmed reports of bizarre behavior, all the antics on and off the field - the Man City boss is finally ready to wash his hands of a player with whom he once seemed to have an almost paternal bond. The problem is, few clubs are willing to take the gamble on an expensive and potentially disruptive player like Balotelli. The clubs that can afford him, like Real Madrid, Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain don't necessarily need him. Most of the ones that can use him can't afford the financial risk in the cutthroat world of European soccer. One solution could solve Manchester City's Balotelli problem, and put Mario in a situation where he can fulfill his potential. Balotelli should join Major League Soccer. Specifically, the New York Red Bulls. Only two teams in MLS - the LA Galaxy and the Red Bulls - have shown anything like the kind of ambition and financial muscle that would be needed to prise Balotelli from Manchester.

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