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Poor Mario Balotelli. The move to Liverpool hasn't worked out for the Italian international striker, and Brendan Rodgers seems determined to start the impending season without the 24-year-old. Recently, the player was cropped out of a photo on Liverpool's official twitter account when they wanted an image of "world class" players to pair with an Adam Lallana interview, though it should be pointed out that Lallana did not include Balotelli when speaking about the talented players training at Melwood who have not yet linked up with the rest of the squad.
Still, it's just part of the narrative that things haven't been going according to plan for "Super Mario" at Anfield. For those interested in how much Balotelli might fetch in the transfer window, it appears that Liverpool won't recoup even half the amount paid - - £16 million folks -- for the former Manchester City striker. That isn't a particularly huge sum considering some of the deals made in recent years. The source may be in the know or paying games, you decide.
"Mario Balotelli costs €10m, but with a discount we await him with open arms," Sampdoria President Massimo Ferrero gleefully remarked on a player who seems destined to leave Anfield.
Well. If that is the case, perhaps taking on the player's wages in their entirety would be a condition of securing Balotelli for such a low fee. It could be a case of agreeing a lower contract without any contribution from Liverpool, something that FSG would be keen to avoid. This could just be a tactic from Sampdoria to pursue a loan or a deal where they don't have to pay anything at all. Plus, does Massimo Ferrero want a discount on the discount? That would be awfully cheeky but expected considering the offers Liverpool have received from Italian clubs in recent years.
The arrival of Christian Benteke pushes Balotelli further out of the picture, and irrespective of whether he wants to stay or not, he probably has to find a new home by the end of the transfer window. Mario Balotelli may be considered a greater risk after the season he's had, but a decent club has to make an offer at that price. Even with the salary he'd command, the fee makes a potential deal far more likely than previously believed. Maybe he won't be leaving on loan after all.
