Mario Balotelli is too good to sit around and wait for a chance that might never come.
This is the conclusion of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who revealed to the media this week that he has told Balotelli his future lies away from Anfield.
Balotelli has been practicing with Liverpool since preseason training began, but Klopp doesn’t expect the Italian striker to feature regularly this season. Klopp prefers Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings, Divock Origi and Roberto Firmino over Balotelli at the position. Thus, Klopp believes Balotelli should find a new club in order to revive his career.
“I have spoken to him about this,” Klopp said Tuesday, according to The Telegraph. “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 (groin) injury — the talent is still there, there’s no doubt about it. When we have done the crossing, heading and stuff, he’s 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.
“There will be a club around who would be happy to have new Mario Balotelli. I have spoken clearly to the player about that.”
Balotelli famously joined Liverpool in August 2014 from AC Milan in a £16 million ($26.5 million) transfer, but the move hasn’t worked out for the player or his parent club. Balotelli scored four goals in 28 games for Liverpool in 2014-15. He returned to AC Milan in 2015-16 on a season-long loan but scored just three goals in 23 games for the Italian club.
Balotelli’s Liverpool contract expires after the 2016-17 season and, barring a miraculous change of heart from Klopp, he won’t remain with the club much longer. The only question is, how much longer?
Thumbnail photo via LiverpoolFC.com
