Liverpool and Mario Balotelli have hardly got off to the start they would have hoped when the player moved to Merseyside from Milan. A lot was expected from the 24 year old, who was not a direct replacement for Luis Suarez, but someone who came to replace some (if not all) of the Uruguayan attacker’s goals this season. This hasn’t happened. Balotelli has two goals to his name till now- one in the Champions League and one in the Capital One Cup. He has failed to score in the Premier League in 11 Premier League appearances this term and hasn’t started a game since November 1st
Balotelli’s first Premier League start was very encouraging as the Reds hammered Spurs 3-0 and Sturridge and Balotelli looked very effective as the two strikers playing up-front in Rodgers’ preferred 4-4-2 formation. Since then, Sturridge got injured and hasn’t featured for Liverpool till date, and Balotelli has not fit in the manager’s high intensity system.
The striker is no doubt incredibly talented, but he is a target man, a typical number nine, and Liverpool over the past few seasons, have relied on pacey forwards to lead their line. Besides Balotelli not doing well and looking obviously out of place in the Liverpool line-up, his confidence has also been low and he has missed glaring chances for the Reds.
Times are obviously tough for the Italian at the moment with his manager having already stated that he must get used to the bench as he is not suited to Liverpool’s high intensity system.
Balotelli’s agents has reportedly already been persuading the Liverpool management to let the player leave the club and bear a financial loss.
It seems that Balotelli is getting some suitors as the latest rumor is that French giants PSG have been in talks with Balotelli’s agent, Mino Raiola, with a proposal to sign the Italian on a loan deal ahead of a potential permanent switch.
PSG manager Laurent Blanc will push on with his efforts to get the Italian international, if Edinson Cavani were to leave the club this summer. The striker has fallen out with the PSG boss and has been linked with a move to Arsenal among other clubs.
In Sturridge’s absence, Balotelli and fellow summer signing Rickie Lambert have both failed to fire. Liverpool must be looking at some options to reinforce their strike department this summer as if this problem is not adequately addressed, they wouldn’t be able to finish in the top 4. If they do land a quality attacker, the Liverpool management would probably let the former City man leave, a move good for all parties.