Nice move as Mario leaves Liverpool
MARIO BALOTELLI looks set to draw a line through his Liverpool career and check out of English football for possibly the last time by moving to Nice. The maverick Italian striker has had talks with the French club and is poised to make the switch before the deadline tomorrow. Balotelli has one year left on his contract and the move to the south of France will bring his fitful spell at Anfield to a close.
Liverpool expect Balotelli’s agent, Mino Raiola, to conclude the negotiations with the Ligue One side.
It will bring to an end another sorry saga in his career after he joined Liverpool in August 2014 for £16m from AC Milan. The deal was described as a gamble by the then boss Brendan Rodgers, who was short on strikers having seen Luis Suarez go to Barcelona and interest in Alexis Sanchez falter when he opted to go to Arsenal.
Balotelli has made 28 appearances, mainly as a substitute, scoring four times, but Rodgers soon decided the Italy international’s work ethic did not fit with his philosophy. Palermo have also shown an interest in Balotelli but Nice are favourites to secure his signature.
However, Danny Ings will not be leaving with Sunderland having had a loan bid rejected for the striker, who is on his way back to full fitness after a cruciate injury.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have continued to chop the dead wood from their squad by selling Luis Alberto to Lazio. A £4.2m fee has been agreed with them and Liverpool have also negotiated add-ons depending on European qualification and a 30 per cent sell-on fee.
Alberto, who joined Liverpool for £6.8m from Barcelona in 2013 but has spent the last two seasons on loan at Malaga and Deportivo La Coruna, will now travel to Rome to discuss personal terms.
Defender Andre Wisdom is to join Red Bull Salzburg on a season-long loan.