Look who's back: Balotelli touches down in Manchester as star returns for pre-season

Look who's back: Mario Balotelli touches down at Manchester Airport ahead of his return to training

He's back. The Premier League's most enigmatic star has returned from his prolonged summer break as Mario Balotelli touched down at Manchester Airport ready to begin his pre-season preparations.
The Manchester City striker returned to his homeland with trips to St Tropez and Ibiza sandwiched in between after guiding Italy to the final of the European Championships earlier this summer in Poland and Ukraine.
His arrival caused a bit of a stir inside the terminal, where the forward was reportedly forced to flee to a toilet in a bid to hide from autograph hunters.
Balotelli returned as his team-mates were concluding their tour of the Far East with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Malaysia XI, with Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and Adam Johnson on the scoresheet in Kuala Lumpar.
The 21-year-old will instead begin training at City's Carrington HQ on Tuesday where he will look to build upon winning a starting place in Roberto Mancini's side when the champions kick-start their campaign on August 18 against newly-promoted Southampton at the Etihad Stadium.
Manager Mancini believes Balotelli's impressive performance at Euro 2012 will put him in the frame to do so but stated his desire for him to curb his often highly publicised off and on-field antics which have caused considerable distraction in the past.

Happy to be back: Balotelli returns after leading Italy to the Euro 2012 Final earlier this summer

'I think that he did well in the Euros,' said Mancini.

'I also hope those performances can help him to improve. I think every time he plays well, like he did at the Euros, it's important for him because it can help him with his behaviour.
'Then he can understand that, if he improves his behaviour, he can be better at his job.

Keeping up appearances: Sergio Aguero scored City's first in their victory over Malaysia XI

On target: Carlos Tevez was also impressive for City, scoring the champions' second goal in Kuala Lumpar

'With his body and his attitude, I think he can play as a forward or like a winger, so I think he can play in every position.

'Maybe, for me though, he is better like a first striker. But we have four strikers, and of these four strikers, only Mario can play wide.'
Mancini remains keen to sign wantaway Arsenal captain Robin van Persie before the transfer window closes for business on August 31 but Balotelli clearly has a prominent role in the Italian's plans for the season ahead... providing he can stay out of trouble.
Welcome back, Mario!