Liverpool Transfer News: Mario Balotelli Awaiting 'Loyalty Bonus,' Top Rumours

Unwanted Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is reportedly set to pick up a six-figure loyalty bonus if he stays at Anfield past the end of the current transfer window.

According to David Maddock in the Mirror, the Italian striker has the bonus built into the four-year, £70,000-a-week contract he signed upon his £16 million arrival on Merseyside last summer from AC Milan. 

The Reds will be desperate that Balotelli not be allowed his big payday, as they are intent on getting him off their books after he endured a miserable first season at Anfield, scoring just one goal in the Premier League, per WhoScored.com.

The club are reportedly prepared to pay 60 per cent of the 25-year-old's wages in order to send him off on loan to Serie A, with Lazio and Sampdoria interested, per Maddock.

Indeed, Samp president Massimo Ferrero is eager to snap up Balotelli, but he has concerns over the costs involved, per translator David Amoyal on GianlucaDiMarzio.com. 

Balotelli would join recent returnee Antonio Cassano at Sampdoria—quite a combination for manager Walter Zenga to deal with, per Italian football writer Tancredi Palmeri:

Balotelli is unwanted at Anfield, with Brendan Rodgers having become tired of his training-ground antics and lack of form on the pitch, per Simon Hughes in the Independent.

The Reds have brought in Danny Ings, Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino over the summer, while Balotelli has trained on his own after being omitted from pre-season, per Sky Sports. 

However, the former Manchester City striker reportedly has no desire to leave Anfield, and is prepared to carry on picking up his pay cheques even if he has no chance of playing in the first team, per Maddock.

As Balotelli is contracted for another three years yet, this leaves Liverpool in a tricky position. They will have to hope that he can eventually be persuaded to leave before the transfer window closes, or Liverpool will be forced to carry on shelling out money to a player now of little use to the club.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

The Reds are seemingly set to have no such issues with defensive midfielder Lucas Leiva.

According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Joe Short in the Express), the Brazilian's agent has opened talks with Serie A giants AC Milan ahead of a potential £5 million switch away from Anfield.

The 28-year-old Lucas is not wanted by Rodgers—he was left out of the squad for the clash with Stoke on Sunday—and his days are seemingly numbered on Merseyside after eight years with Liverpool.

Lucas is a useful player to have in the ranks as he provides solidity in the midfield, and Rodgers may regret letting him go. But the Reds manager perhaps now believes that Emre Can can step into the breach.