Liverpool Transfer News: Saido Berahino Lined Up as Mario Balotelli Alternative

Liverpool are reportedly already looking for a replacement for summer signing Mario Balotelli as the Italian striker continues his woeful start to his Anfield career.

The former Manchester City man missed a golden opportunity in the dying moments on Saturday as the Reds drew 0-0 at home to Hull, further compounding Balotelli's Reds misery that has seen him drastically underperform so far this season.

Rob Shepherd in the Daily Mail reports that Liverpool are lining up a January bid for West Brom star Saido Berahino as a replacement for £16 million Balotelli barely two months after his switch to Anfield from AC Milan:

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Liverpool will consider a January move for West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino.

[...]

The Baggies believe Berahino is worth in excess of £25m, and Liverpool’s potential interest could see a bidding battle with Spurs. It is already recognised in Liverpool circles that the signing of Mario Balotelli is a gamble which has not worked.

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Berahino is certainly in a rich vein of form early on in the season. He has bagged seven goals in nine Premier League appearances, per WhoScored.com, making him the top-performing English striker by some distance, per Squawka:

However, with only nine Premier League games played so far this season, Brendan Rodgers would seemingly have admitted defeat incredibly early by shelling out for Berahino in January.

Balotelli was brought in along with Rickie Lambert over the summer in an attempt to replace the departed Luis Suarez. Suarez's 31 goals last season saw Liverpool just miss out on the league title.

Jon Super/Associated Press

While Liverpool haven't had the best of starts in the new term, they are still sitting seventh in the table and have the injured Daniel Sturridge to return to the fold.

Balotelli has always been a mercurial player and had his best performance in a Liverpool shirt alongside Sturridge in a 3-0 away win at Tottenham, per the Daily Mail:

He may well improve when the Englishman finally returns to action and the pair can play together.

However, it is obvious—especially with Lambert's role clearly as a predominant substitute—that Liverpool are still slightly short in attack, and they may well look to bring in Berahino even if Balotelli's form improves.

They are unlikely, though, to be able to bring in former target Wilfried Bony from Swansea. The Ivorian says he is happy in Wales and may well be set to extend his contract soon, per Riath Al-Samarrai in the Daily Mail. 

"Contract talks I leave to my agent," Bony said. "But I am happy."

Berahino would be a strong signing for the Reds, but if West Brom are indeed asking for around £25 million for the 21-year-old, Liverpool may be put off having spent a great deal in the summer.

Sturridge's return will likely aid Liverpool a great deal. He will bring his own goals as well as complementing other players, so the Reds may wish to wait a while before they panic buy another striker.