Mario Balotelli’s Liverpool career finally over after disastrous spell on Anfield
Italian told he will be offloaded by Reds boss Jurgen Klopp despite still having 12 months left on his contract
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MARIO BALOTELLI has finally been told his Liverpool dream is officially over.
The Italian, 25, is back at Anfield after a disastrous season-long loan at Milan and has 12 months left on his Reds contract.
Yet his stay will not last beyond pre-season after boss Jurgen Klopp admitted he will be offloaded.
Klopp said: “With a lot of players it is not the moment to talk of transfers as it could kill all talks by saying someone was 70 per cent to sign him or whatever.
“But I can talk of Mario because that one is obvious and I have spoken to him about this.
“He’s not at the stage of his career where he should be battling with four or five other players for one or two positions.
“We want him to become the player he was before his injury and the talent is still there, there’s no doubt about it.
“When we have done the crossing, heading and stuff in training, he has been world class.
“But this is not a situation where he should be battling with other players like this for one position, so it’s clear we need a solution.”
So far only Sampdoria and Serie A new boys Crotone have shown any real interest in Balotelli.
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Yet after seeing the striker's work in the fortnight since Liverpool returned to training, Klopp insisted he has knuckled down.
The German added: “I have heard a lot about him ever since I came here. I actually played a game against him and he scored a goal – a penalty that wasn’t a penalty by the way.
“But since he has been back here, he’s been a good guy and I can’t say anything different than that.
“It’s not that he’s come back and said ‘who’s the boss, I’m the boss no sorry it’s you.’ It’s not been that at all.
“Everything’s been good, it’s all okay. And now he’s here, we will do everything we can to get him fit.
“And there will be a club around who would be happy to have new Mario Balotelli if you like. I have spoken clearly to the player about that.
“I know we can’t talk about a lot of things because one agent says ‘we want to stay,’ and another says ‘we have had ten offers so we have to leave.’
“But in this case it’s obvious. It’s now time to make decisions and I try to help Mario to get in the best shape he can be in and we will see what happens.”
Reds defender Mamadou Sakho will miss the start of the season — despite being cleared to play after a drugs ban.
Sakho, 26, is struggling with a damaged Achilles.