Liverpool Transfer News: Mario Balotelli Exit Rumours, Latest on Gonzalo Higuain

Despite only arriving in the summer, Mario Balotelli could well be moved on from Liverpool in the January transfer window after Reds boss Brendan Rodgers questioned the Italian's ability.

Balotelli was omitted from the Liverpool squad for its Saturday FA Cup draw with Bolton, and Rodgers explained that his decision was down to the striker not performing well enough in training, per BBC Sport: 

"

He knows exactly what is required to be in this squad before he can be in the team.

[...]

It is difficult for him [Balotelli] but he knows the level of [where] this team is at - you see the aggression in our pressing and if you can't do that you are not going to be a part of what this team is trying to achieve. We had an hour or so yesterday chatting and he understands where he is at.

"

Certainly, Balotelli has underperformed since his £16 million summer arrival at Anfield. The 24-year-old has failed to score a Premier League goal in 760 minutes of game time, per WhoScored.com, and seems ill-suited for the Reds' style of play.

As The Sunday Times' Jonathan Northcroft suggests, Balotelli could no doubt adapt to fit in at Anfield, but the former Manchester City man is notoriously difficult to deal with and thus may not have the necessary drive:

The most obvious move would be for Liverpool to offload Balotelli in the current transfer window, and the Sunday Express' John Richardson reports that the Reds are looking for a buyer, with a return to Serie A a possibility for the former Inter and AC Milan player.

Parma president Ermir Kodra recently revealed his club has been in talks to sign Balotelli, while Juventus have supposedly also enquired after the Italy international, per Richardson's report.

"We were very close to Mario Balotelli but we were unable to conclude the deal," Kodra said.

The Sunday Mirror's Andy Dunn said on Sky Sport's Sunday Supplement show that he feels Balotelli's "days are numbered" at Anfield and suggested it would no surprise if he never played for Liverpool again.

An imminent Balotelli exit certainly looks likely, and B/R UK's Andy Brassell believes it is the only option after the Reds took a chance when signing him in the summer:

However, if Liverpool do indeed sell him on in January, it will be an admission of a poor piece of business from the Reds and a bad reflection on Rodgers' ability to deal with players such as Balotelli.

Equally, it will leave the Reds in need of another striker, and top target Gonzalo Higuain is now seemingly unavailable after Napoli chief Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed the Serie A club was not looking to sell him on, per Sky Sport 24 (h/t Aaron Flanagan in the Daily Mirror):

"I have no intention of selling Higuain," the Napoli boss said. "We are strengthening the team and will buy other reinforcements."

Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

Having bagged 10 league goals this season—five of them in his last four matches, according to WhoScored—the Argentinian Higuain would have been a significant upgrade on Balotelli, but it seems Rodgers will have to look elsewhere.

The Reds have been on the up of late. They started the season poorly but are still in with a chance of breaking into the top four in the Premier League come the end of the season.

However, the addition of a top-class striker in the January transfer window would be welcome, especially if Balotelli is shipped on out as now seems likely.