Mario Balotelli Yet to Open Up to Liverpool Team-Mates, Reveals Martin Skrtel

Mario Balotelli may be willing to reveal his new snood to the entire world, but Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has confirmed the Italian rarely offers such openness with his team-mates.

Balotelli headed to Merseyside as the summer transfer window came to a close. He signed for Brendan Rodgers despite the Northern Irish boss "categorically" denying he would buy the Italian, but he has struggled to fit into the team's busy style of play.

Slovakian stalwart Skrtel suggests the same disconnect is apparent in the dressing room. 

"Mario has not fully opened up to us," said Skrtel, as reported by James Dickenson of the Express. "But I think that the stories about him are not always true. When I met him I found out that he is totally different person than the way he is presented."

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Skrtel appears to be referring to the plethora of headline-grabbing occurrences that have constricted Balotelli's career. Although the centre-back offers a half-hearted attempt at defending his new team-mate, he does little to dispel suggestions that Balotelli remains a lone wolf.

The centre-back's comments also follow on from Ian Darke's report for ESPN FC, in which he revealed, "Sources have told me that some of [Balotelli's] team-mates at Anfield are none too impressed by his individualistic approach."

Rodgers recently admitted his new signing "has not hit the numbers he will have wanted," as reported by Andy Hunter of The Guardian. Balotelli has scored just one in seven appearances and has spearheaded Liverpool's attack without the verve expected of him. His movement is lazy, he appears uninterested, and he is too willing to shoot from distance when more effective options are available.

That fact that Balotelli was dropped during the win over West Brom—even when Daniel Sturridge remained on the sidelines with injury—underlines the problems he is posing. Rodgers isn't able to trust him to perform simple duties on a weekly basis.

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Despite this, the striker appears in good spirits on social media and treated followers to a snap of his winter clothing addition:

Roberto Mancini, the manager with whom Balotelli got into an infamous bust-up during their time at Manchester City, admits the player doesn't have any time to waste.

"Mario is a good guy, but he is aware that Liverpool is probably his final opportunity to prove what he can do on the pitch," said Mancini, as reported by Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star. "It's his last chance."

Mancini admitted to being in regular contact with his former colleague. Balotelli has smart advisers around him, those who have achieved great things in the game, but he appears content on cruising through his Liverpool tenure just like he did at Inter, City and Milan—as a self-moulded outsider.

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For this to repeat itself at different clubs comes down to the individual. Rodgers offered Balotelli a lifeline during the summer, and so far, the 24-year-old hasn't shown his appreciation. Antonio Conte has noticed his lack of form—dropping Balotelli from the Italy squad—meaning the player is seriously limiting a career in which he once looked set to blossom as one of the best.