Mario Balotelli on brink of shock Liverpool move

Rome: Mario Balotelli is on the brink of a shock move to Liverpool, media in England and Italy reported on Thursday, two weeks after Reds boss Brendan Rodgers ruled out a bid for the controversial striker. According to Sky Italia, AC Milan have agreed to let the 24-year-old move to Anfield and a transfer worth £16 million is being wrapped up. A Milan spokesman said he could not confirm any talks.

The reported move is being seen as a sign of Liverpool’s frustration at being unable to land a top quality replacement for Luis Suarez following the Uruguayan’s World Cup biting disgrace and subsequent departure for Barcelona. During Liverpool’s tour of the United States earlier this month, Rodgers had appeared to close the door on a move for Ballotelli, saying: “I can categorically tell you that he will not be coming to Liverpool.”

The striker’s three years (2010-13)with Manchester City were overshadowed by his off-pitch antics, which included car crashes, setting fireworks off in his bathroom and an incident in which he threw a dart at a youth-team player.He was regularly at loggerheads with then City boss Roberto Mancini and clashed with some team-mates while producing only intermittent flashes of his undoubted star quality.

Liverpool have reportedly targeted Monaco’s Radamel Falcao as their first-choice replacement for Suarez but appear to have made little headway in their attempts to secure the Colombian, who missed the second half of last season and the World Cup with a serious knee injury.

A return to England and a fresh start could suit Balotelli. The striker has been subjected to criticism in his home country for a perceived poor attitude during Italy’s World Cup campaign, which ended with the Azzurri flying home at the end of the group stage.

As the most prominent black player in Italy and the first to represent the country at a major tournament, Balotelli has also had to endure regular racist abuse of a kind which is now rare in English stadiums.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that midfielder Angel di Maria has asked to leave the European champions before the end of the transfer window.

The 26-year-old Argentine — who missed the World Cup final defeat by Germany because of injury was a star performer as Real claimed their 10th European crown last season, but has fallen down the pecking order at the Bernabeu due to the arrivals of James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos.

Premier League giants Manchester United and French champions Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly interested in signing him.

“I am surprised to read that there is a disagreement between myself and the club,” Ancelotti said on Thursday.

“There is no disagreement and we both think the same way. The situation is clear. The player asked to leave in the summer and rejected an offer from the club.“Therefore we have tried to look for other players. It is a situation that the player himself has to resolve.“If he doesn’t find a solution for his future, then, come the end of the market, we will make up and he will work for us like he did last season.”