Liverpool’s hierarchy are checking out all their options in at attempt to get Mario Balotelli as far away from the club as possible come the summer.
The Daily Mail reports that AC Milan, who are paying the majority but not all of his £90k/week wages, are not interested in a permanent deal – so the Italian forward will head back to Anfield where he’s still a legal employee with one year to remain on his deal.
Liverpool see no future for Balotelli at Anfield, for obvious reasons, but will have to pay £4.5m in a lump sum to the player to buy him out of his contract.
Obviously our preference would be to sell Balotelli, but hardly any European clubs will be willing suitors. Firstly because of his tarnished reputation and secondly because of his huge wages.
Perhaps our best chance of getting rid would be sanctioning another loan deal, but we’d likely to have to contribute to his wages again – not ideal.
There is the possibility that a super rich Chinese club will put us out of our misery, with the Telegraph reporting back in February that Liverpool have touted their client around the Far East in an attempt to get rid. Chinese clubs will likely be able to even increase Balotelli’s wages and pay us a transfer fee too; but the forward is only 25 – and may still have ambitions of reigniting his European career somewhere.
Paying him a fee to leave would be a kick in the teeth for Liverpool; but if it’s the only way he’ll exit; it’s a necessary evil. We can’t have him hanging round the training ground like Jose Enrique has all season.