Balotelli would not be able to offer enough to justify the fee
Reports on Tuesday suggested that AC Milan were keen to let Mario Balotelli’s potential suitors know that they are prepared to take as little as £14 million for the Italian striker, in a bid to cash in on the player.
On the surface, Balotelli is a top striker – by reputation – and many of Europe’s top clubs have reportedly taken interest in the player this summer, with prior knowledge that he was available.
However, the move, if any occurred, would be Balotelli’s fifth before his 24th birthday – something you associate with a player that is either not good enough and is being moved on, or is too much trouble and isn’t worth the hassle.
In Luis Suarez, Liverpool had a player who was good enough to be worth all the hassle and you can bet your life that Inter, City and AC would’ve all clung to him for dear life but Balotelli is trouble in a different way to Suarez, in that his private life is… shall we say, a little too wild?
£14 million for such an elusive talent may seem a bargain though, and many may be fooled by the ‘low’ price tag, but what are you really paying for? Certainly not a prolific striker; Balotelli has never passed 20 goals in a season, and has only twice scored more than 15, and that’s in a career that’s seen him pass through 3 top, top clubs, playing 8 full seasons of football.
Nor is Balotelli a team player, in the way some strikers are, who work their socks off for the team and put in all the leg-work, defending from the front.
Sure, he has a great deal of natural ability but is a player that can barely guarantee 10 goals a season, that can’t promise to not set fireworks off in his house, or pull an all-nighter on the eve of a big match the kind of player Liverpool really need? No, is the short answer.
Balotelli is a luxury player. Nothing more. He has talent, but none more so than a lot of players, he just has the uncanny ability to pull off the spectacular once in a while and make no mistake, if he was as good as we’re led to believe AC Milan wouldn’t be so keen to cash in while they can.
£14 million is not too bad a price, but for that kind of money, Liverpool would be better served putting a few million more to it and going for a player that can be guaranteed to make a real impact.
How do you feel about Balotelli? Do you think he has something to offer Brendan Rodgers’ side?
Spot on, this.
Liverpool does not need Ballotelli! BR is not fooled by all the hype of the Italian, liked the article and in a nut shell, explained perfectly what Balotelli is and is not ! No thanks we can do without him.
Ballotelli is a man on a self destruct mode. He brings as much trouble as his talent. BR will avoid this player and the other one is Solomon Kalou. His agents are so desperate to find him club that they create this silly rumor. But I’m with John Barnes on this matter. Liverpool do not necessarily need to sign superstars to start the season but instead find the right kind of player who will produce results which we need. Even though he came with talent,it took Suarez some time to fit into the team. That was until BR took over
and Suarez in fact flourished because BR created the system to suit Suarez’s
abilities. And the same for Sturridge, Coutinho, J.Handerson. What matters most , is the player up to it. A.Carroll, C.Adam and S.Downing was obviously not. So, we just hope when the season starts, LFC starts with the players who deserve to be LFC players. Not primadonas who think they are bigger than the club. LFC don’t buy superstars but LFC players become one playing for this great club.
Balotelli has the potential to be a world class player,if he joined liverpool.
Think about this: 4clubs in 6yrs.. Is that not madness? We dont want mario throwing punches at coutinho when passes dont get to him accurately.. We dont want to see Rodgers with a RedFace after a Slap from super MARIO for temporarily asking him to change position..