Liverpool Transfer News: Mario Balotelli Reportedly 'Finished' at Anfield

Mario Balotelli is "finished" at Liverpool and will be sold at the end of the season, according to Steve Bates of the Sunday People (h/t Mirror).

This common consensus is followed throughout stories in the British press, where Balotelli's lack of impact has been a regular feature since his £16 million summer switch from AC Milan. Brendan Rodgers has given the Italian every opportunity to show his quality, but even the boss appears to admit Balotelli is proving to be a failed risk.

"It would have been unfair to leave Rickie Lambert, as a 32-year-old, as the only other striker that we had (aside from Daniel Sturridge)," said Rodgers, reported by Simon Mullock of the Mirror. The Liverpool manager continued:

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I felt it was a risk we needed to take with Mario because, as a group, we couldn’t afford not to a that time. It was obviously late on and we needed to have someone in. It’s something that we can’t regret now. I made it clear at the beginning it was a calculated risk—and that is why he probably cost the money he did.

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Balotelli is yet to score in nine Premier League appearances, a run of performances which totals 685 minutes, per WhoScored.com. He has also failed to provide an assist in this time. Goals against Ludogorets and Swansea City in the Champions League and Capital One Cup, respectively, are not enough to dispel the sense his play slows Liverpool's attacking progress down.

Lambert has just the one domestic division strike in 536 minutes on the pitch, however, so there's an argument to suggest the Reds' all-round form needs to improve for their strikers to start hitting the mark. The one similarity between both forwards is their lack of speed and ability to make incisive runs leaves the midfield struggling to find a man.

Daniel Sturridge would naturally aid this, but Balotelli's lack of goals isn't unique in Rodgers' squad. He didn't play during the 0-0 draw with Sunderland, a match which saw just two of Liverpool's 15 shots hit the target, per WhoScored.

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B/R UK writer Vince Siu believes Rodgers showed signs of chronic mismanagement in the aftermath of the draw:

Charlie Wyett of The Sun told Sky Sports' Sunday Supplement show obvious alternatives to Balotelli could have provided Liverpool with the post-Luis Suarez spearhead they so desperately need.

"I don't understand why Liverpool, with the money they had, didn't look at someone like Wilfried Bony and even Christian Benteke," said Wyett. "You would have those two in your team over Balotelli every time."

Former Liverpool striker and B/R UK guest columnist Stan Collymore believes Balotelli is the one player Rodgers needs to sell in January:

Balotelli's return to England was always going to be heavily monitored. Whether he performs poorly or not across the remainder of the season, reactions are likely to be overzealous.

He is a player who shines in glimpses, but supporters must remember he has never notched more than 14 league goals in a single campaign, per WhoScored. Such a number would do Liverpool nicely this year and is perhaps the only way Balotelli will remain on Merseyside for a second term.

One has to ask who will stump up significant cash if things continue to go wrong for the 24-year-old. Balotelli is no longer a child who can be forgiven for petulance. He should be heading toward his prime, but instead, continues to post a selection of lazy and frustrating performances which currently define his career. If this doesn't change, it appears Rodgers' attacking line will.