Mario Balotelli: Liverpool agree £16m fee for AC Milan striker
Last updated on .From the section Liverpool
Liverpool have agreed a £16m fee with AC Milan to sign former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli.
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers wants the Italy international, 24, to strengthen his attack after last season's top scorer Luis Suarez joined Barcelona.
Balotelli moved to Milan for £19m from City last year and has scored 30 goals in 54 games for the Serie A club.
Liverpool travel to Etihad Stadium in their next Premier League match on Monday.
Negotiations are still taking place to agree terms with the player, but Balotelli has already said his farewells in Italy.
Milan said in a statement on their website: "Mario Balotelli left Milanello's sporting centre at 13:30 local time, after saying goodbye to his team-mates.
"Before leaving the premises, the striker has said goodbye to members of Milan's press office."
| The life of Mario | |
|---|---|
| Balotelli joins Manchester City in August 2010 for £24m from Inter Milan. He scores 30 goals in 80 games and helps the club win their first Premier League title. | He struggles with discipline at City and is involved in a training-ground altercation with then-manager Roberto Mancini, prompting his departure. |
| AC Milan sign Balotelli from City in January 2013 for £19m, and the striker goes on to score 30 goals in 54 games. | Having impressed for Italy during Euro 2012, scoring twice in the semi-finals, he nets the winner against England at the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil. |
Balotelli was a big hit with City supporters during his first spell in England, helping the club win a first league title since 1968.
But he was also in the headlines for several off-the-pitch incidents - including a training-ground bust-up with then-manager Roberto Mancini.
In his second season in Manchester, he scored only three goals in 20 games.
The striker agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Milan in January 2013, and played for Italy at the World Cup in Brazil.
He was heavily linked with Arsenal earlier in the summer, but after bringing in Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona for £35m, Arsene Wenger ruled out signing another forward.
Liverpool have so far brought in only one frontman for the new campaign, signing Rickie Lambert from Southampton for £4m.
The Reds paid £10m for Lille's Belgium striker Divock Origi, 19, but have loaned him back to the French club for the season.
With doubts surrounding the future of Fabio Borini, who remains a target for Sunderland, Rodgers is keen to add to his forward line.
"I do still think we need another striker," he said after Liverpool began their Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Southampton.
"It is something that we will look at, but it will depend on the availability of one.
"We will search through to the end of the transfer window."
AC Milan endured a difficult campaign last season, finishing eighth in Serie A and failing to qualify for Europe.
Balotelli would be guaranteed Champions League football at Liverpool, who finished runners-up to City in the Premier League last term.
Comments
Join the conversation
Balotelli: "Beacuse I'm rich"
.....classic!
Borini £14m
Shane Long £12m
Sounds LFC will be getting a bargain myself!!!
Love to see him back in England
Would be a steal for Liverpool at the reported £16mil.
Surprised no one else is interested.
Yes he can be 'controversial' off the pitch.
But aslong as he's sensible on it, then if i was a Liverpool fan i wouldn't care if he lets off fireworks in his house or has 1000 parking tickets.
Looking at the way things are going I'd prepare yourself for a decade of misery.
I'll take another clown every day of the week who was the top scorer of PL and player's player of the year.
As a Liverpool fan, I had reservations about Sturridge joining but that's turned out rather well.
What are you wittering about? He's way better than 1 in 2. Chelsea just paid £32 million for Costa who had one season at the same strike rate.
Lpool are lacking err..bite upfront & a devil in their team. Mario fits the bill.
erm since the evra and bite incident they got record shirt deal record sponsorship deal and the most watched team in the 2013/14 season worldwide and a record transfer deal!
and he helped liverpool get back into the champions league when it just got a major cash boost from bt sport.
He may not bite but he'll do something loopy, I'll bet.
As long as he scores 30+ goals....
The problem on the pitch is that one game he'll be unplayable but the next game he'll look disinterested and be a total passenger - strolling around, sulking and commiting needless fouls. Can Liverpool afford to carry him on one of his off days?
I would probably steer clear of slating Man Utd's financial status when Adidas have just paid them twice what Liverpool are worth just to make their socks.