Milan chief executive officer Adriano Galliani has revealed the signing of Mario Balotelli was only finalised after a secret meeting in a car between the striker and Sinisa Mihajlovic.
The 25-year-old signed at San Siro on a season-long loan deal from Liverpool and love has already blossomed with his new head coach, according to Galliani.
Balotelli scored a superb free-kick in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Udinese after being handed a first start of the new campaign by Mihajlovic, who heaped praise on him after the match.
"He is a new man, but with the same feet - still a champion," Galliani told Premium Sport.
"He scored a stunning free-kick, but above all behaved impeccably despite suffering many fouls and being admonished by opposing players without protesting ever. I congratulate that and he has to continue like this.
"I admit it, Mihajlovic and Balotelli met in Florence the night before the game against Fiorentina in a parking lot, in a car with tinted windows. It was like a scene from spy story.
"A love blossomed between the two. Sinisa offered guarantees for Mario, so he returned.
"I am glad I had the insight to bring Mario to Milan, but he would not have been able to come without the immediate endorsement of president [Silvio] Berlusconi and Sinisa."
Balotelli's first spell at Milan prior to his unsuccessful move to Anfield saw him score 30 goals in 54 games over one and a half seasons.
‘He instantly popped into our ratings as one of the best U21 midfielders in Europe. The impressive thing is Slot has made him into more of a no.6' Inside Ryan Gravenberch's transformation at Liverpool
‘I don’t think Liverpool would look at Ollie Watkins, a striker isn’t a pressing issue for them – it’s Arsenal who need one’ Former Reds star explains why his old club don’t need an out-and-out forward this summer
