Transfer News: Sampdoria Prepared to Sign Mario Balotelli This Summer

Sampdoria President Massimo Ferrero has revealed he's interested in bringing Mario Balotelli back to Serie A.

The Liverpool forward has scored just three goals in 19 appearances in his first season at Anfield, per WhoScored.com, and the club could cut their losses this summer.

According to Transfermarkt, the Reds paid £17.6 million for the Italian, but his poor form has caused his value to drop to around £13.2 million.

Ferrero admits Sampdoria would not be able to match Balotelli's current wage packet, but he believes a pay cut could actually help him rediscover his hunger.

"I would take him—he'd be the real Balotelli again here," Ferrero told La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Ben Gladwell of ESPN FC). "He wouldn't have too much pressure here in Genoa.

"He's lost his hunger—he's earning too much. If he was only on bread and water, he'd be a champion again."

Via Gazzetta TV (h/t David Anderson of the Mirror), Ferrero also added: "If he is here, then he would again start scoring goals."

The Liverpool Echo claim Balotelli is on around £100,000 per week at Liverpool while he's contracted to June 2018.

The 24-year-old has been unavailable for Liverpool's last three games through illness and injury.

Liverpool's next match is an FA Cup semi-final meeting with Aston Villa at Wembley on Sunday, but Balotelli is facing a race against time to be available.

Manager Brendan Rodgers may also be without Daniel Sturridge, who missed the 2-0 win over Newcastle through injury, but he does have Fabio Borini available again after the Italian featured for the first time in over two months on Monday.