adminLIVERPOOL striker Mario Balotelli’s future at Anfield is in his own hands, says Reds manager Brendan Rodgers.
The 24-year-old Italy international is not part of Liverpool’s pre-season tour and Rodgers offered no guarantees he will remain at the club.
“I’m not sure, that will entirely be up to Mario,” said the Northern Irishman.
Balotelli signed from AC Milan last summer for £16m but has scored just four times for the Reds, who are set to sign Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke.
With Liverpool building their pre-season around friendlies in Thailand, Australia and Malaysia, Italy international Balotelli has been training on Merseyside, alongside Jose Enrique and Fabio Borini, who both appear surplus to requirements. Rodgers, who has signed six new players this summer, added: “Mario is obviously not on tour but working hard and training well with a number of other players at Melwood.
“He is working hard to get fit and we will see when the season begins.”
Former Manchester City forward Balotelli scored only once in the Premier League last season in a troubled campaign.
In December, Balotelli apologised for a social media posting which appeared to contain anti-Semitic and racist references and which earned him a one-match ban from the Football Association. The following month, Rodgers revealed the player had not been good enough in training to regain his place in the side.
And in February, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard accused Balotelli of showing disrespect to acting skipper Jordan Henderson when he took the winning penalty in a Europa League tie against Besiktas.
Balotelli made just five Premier League appearances for Liverpool in 2015. — Online.
Online Reporter