That is according to former Everton director of football Marcel Brands, who spoke about his time at the club.
Moshiri, who is selling the club to The Friedkin Group, wanted to bring in the ex-Liverpool forward to partner Moise Kean up front at the time.
After signing Kean, Brands told Algemeen Dagblad that the player’s agent Mino Raiola encouraged them to also sign Balotelli.
Per Brands: “Mino said: ‘Why not bring Mario Balotelli too, guys?’ That seemed to Raiola to be a great strike duo for the Premier League.
“They were both fast, skilful and strong, and he thought they would also be complementary. After a while he had substantiated his story so beautifully that Moshiri also completely liked it.”
Brands added: “After the game, I went to eat something with Mino. ‘You’re beautiful you, Brands’, Mino said.
“Moshiri wanted to pull out his wallet. But I was responsible for the club’s technical policy, for the composition of the selection. The great thing was, if you told Mino the truth to his face, he could handle it very well in the end. But he was super smart, if you let go of the steering wheel for a moment, he would sail in the other direction.”