Mario Balotelli says he should never have left Manchester City.

After leaving Manchester, Balotelli has struggled to reach the same heights in his career, and is currently rebuilding his reputation on the pitch with Adana Demirspor in Turkey's top-flight.

And reflecting on his path to date, the 31-year-old admits that leaving the Premier League side was the "biggest mistake of his career".

"I think that was my biggest mistake, to leave City," he said in an interview with The Athletic. "Even in the year when I left, I played very well in Milan for a year and a half, but after that, I had some problems. And now that I'm older, I know that I shouldn't have left City at that time.

"All these years seeing City improving, improving and improving. I could have been here like Sergio Aguero for a long time.

"If I had my mindset now [laughs]. When I was at City, probably one [Ballon d'Or] I could have won, I'm sure about this. But you know, when you grow up, you mature more, so."