Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Italian striker Mario Balotelli has no future at Anfield and must find a new club this summer.
Balotelli returned to AC Milan last summer on a season-long loan but failed to make an impact after scoring just one goal in 20 league appearances.
The 25-year-old has now returned to Liverpool for pre-season training following his unsuccessful second stint at Milan but Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp has declared that the former Inter and Man City centre forward is currently his 5th choice striker at Liverpool and should leave the Premier League club to pursue regular first-team action.
“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,” said Klopp.
“We want him to become the player he was before his 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 joined Liverpool in a deal worth £16 million in 2014 but has since managed to score only four goals in all competitions for the Reds.
But Klopp, who recently signed a new three-year contract extension to stay at Anfield until 2022, insists that he has faced no problems with the controversial striker so far.
“Since he has been back here, he’s been a good guy and I can’t say anything different than that,” added Klopp.
“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.”
A return to Serie A remains Balotelli’s most likely destination with Sampdoria having already registered interest to sign him after club president Massimo Ferrero stated they would be the perfect club for revive the Italian’s career.
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