Saints’ record signing has distanced himself away from suggestions he will follow in the footsteps of his international team-mate and become a Premier League bad boy
Southampton’s record signing Pablo Osvaldo says he will not make the same mistakes his compatriot Mario Balotelli made in the Premier League.
The former Roma striker joined Maurico Pochettino’s side for €17.5 million on Sunday, signing a four-year deal at St Mary’s.
And, despite a record of poor discipline in Serie A, namely punching former team-mate Erik Lamela, Osvaldo says he will not become a bad boy like Balotelli.
“I am no angel but I am not a bad person either,” he told reporters.
“There were things that happened in the dressing room that should not have come out. They should have been resolved in the dressing room.
“All of the problems coming out Roma were being blamed on me and that was completely unfair. That is why I am very happy I have made the change to Southampton.
“I have spoken to Mario Balotelli but not about the move. He did not have the best of times in the Premier League so I did not want to hear anything negative about England.”
Osvaldo could make his Southampton debut against Sunderland on Saturday.