Balotelli or Costa - Who Would You Sign? - Football News

It seems to be the trend this season that when your boot contract expires with a brand you black out your current boots to draw the attention of other brands. Mario Balotelli and Diego Costa have both seen out their contracts with Nike and are putting themselves in the shop window in anticipation of a landing a lucrative and improved deal.

Costa and Balotelli are two of Europe's most in form strikers; combine that with the fact they've both got big personalities and are constantly in the spotlight then you can see why the demand for their signatures is high. For Nike it's a case of offering both players an improved contract, but for other brands it offers the opportunity for them to swoop in and capture one or even two world class players.

Balotelli has been wearing blacked out CTR boots since his contract with Nike expired last month and it's rumoured that adidas have tabled a 10 year sponsorship worth €5 million a year to get the AC Milan striker in the Three Stripes. Since then, that offer has apparently been matched by PUMA and indeed by Nike who are looking to keep hold of their man. Balotelli looks to be at the top of adidas' target shortlist but should they not land his services then Costa looks another likely choice.



PUMA have built a serious squad of players in recent seasons, with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Cesc Fabregas and Falco on board. It's always hard to predict what Balotelli will do next but we get the impression he's not all about the biggest figure on the contract and PUMA's unreleased evoPOWER is something a bit different that could supply him with a shiny new toy to play with.

Diego Costa has flown out of the blocks this season and like Balotelli has been wearing blacked out versions of his Nike Mercurial Vapor IX boots as he alerts rival brands that he's in negotiations over a new contract. To capture two of Nike's top strikers would be a huge coup for adidas and they'll be hoping to use the new generation F50 (a boot that Costa has already worn in the past month) as the perfect bait to lure the Atletico forward away from the Swoosh, that and a big fat cheque obviously.



If it is a case of one or the other for adidas, PUMA and Nike it's tough to say which player would be the better signing. Costa is currently one of the most talked about players in the game and in the form of his life and Balotelli looks certain to lead the Italian front line in Brazil next summer. Hard to call. Who would you sign?

Which brands do you think Costa and Balotelli will end up with? Let us know your thoughts. Join the conversation online, on Twitter and on Facebook.