Mario Balotelli probably will play soccer this season after all.
Liverpool and AC Milan are close to finalizing a loan deal that would send Balotelli back to the San Siro for the 2015-16 season, Sky Italia, The Telegraph’s Mark Ogden, The Guardian’s Ed Aarons, and The Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce reported Monday. AC Milan and Liverpool reportedly will agree to pay half of Balotelli’s salary, and the loan deal doesn’t compel the Italian club to sign the striker outright at the end of the season. Balotelli could undergo a physical exam at AC Milan on Tuesday and officially return to the club shortly thereafter.
Liverpool signed Balotelli from AC Milan one year ago in a high-profile transfer worth £16 million ($26.5 million), but he failed to meet expectations at Anfield. Balotelli scored one goal in 16 Premier League games last season and spent much of 2014-15 as a fringe player.
Brendan Rodgers bolstered Liverpool’s attack in the offseason, and Balotelli has been practicing away from the rest of Liverpool’s first-team squad in recent weeks. Rather than spend the campaign on the practice field, Balotelli will rejoin the team he supports and represented between January 2013 and August 2014. Balotelli previously played for Manchester City and Inter Milan.
Balotelli scored 30 goals in 54 games in all competitions from AC Milan. He undoubtedly will hope he recovers his best form in time to warrant selection in Italy’s national team for the 2016 UEFA European Championships, which start in June.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@LivEchoLFC
