Liverpool Transfer News: Mario Balotelli Blames Brendan Rodgers for His Failures

Fresh after sealing a season-long loan return to Milan, Liverpool flop Mario Balotelli has pinpointed Reds manager Brendan Rodgers as the reason behind his Anfield downfall.

Balotelli arrived on Merseyside in a £16 million deal last summer, only to score a single goal during his return to the Premier League. However, he told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport Rodgers' system "wasn't suited" to his style (h/t the official Milan website):

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I am grateful to Milan, because, to tell the truth, I did not expect them to bring me back. The ‘yes’ from Berlusconi was the biggest surprise of them all. My time at Liverpool? I take my responsibilities, but the system chosen by Rodgers wasn’t suited to my characteristics.

[Milan coach Sinisa] Mihajlovic? He wanted to look me in the eyes, to understand if I had the right motivation. He listened to me: I told him that I have understood my errors and that if he gave me this chance, I would not let him down. I have a huge debt towards him.

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Sinisa Mihajlovic will be hoping to enjoy a more fruitful relationship with the Italy international, who scored 30 goals in 54 appearances for the Rossoneri during his last stay at the San Siro.

Needless to say, the 25-year-old was far from being the striking success Rodgers desired, but the Telegraph's Chris Bascombe says Liverpool have only themselves to blame after signing such a volatile individual:

Balotelli's comments do raise the question as to whether there's any future for him back on Merseyside, where he is contracted to play until 2018, even if this season will be spent back in his native Italy.

Criticising Rodgers so openly is a dangerous ploy when one considers he may be asked to play for the Reds again in future, although such a request looks unlikely.

Luca Bruno/Associated Press

If the controversial forward were to rediscover his best form at the San Siro, Liverpool could yet decide to give Balotelli another attempt at carving out a future for himself at Anfield, whether that's with or without Rodgers.

There's only so much blame one can apply to the system they find themselves in, however, and Squawka illustrated just how poor Balotelli was after completing his return to the English top flight:

Rodgers will be hoping as much as anyone to see the striker improve at Milan, if not to utilise his talents in future, then to at least increase his value before a proposed sale next year.

Broadcaster Melissa Reddy affirmed that while his signature may have seemed like a worthwhile risk for the Reds, Balotelli's apparent lack of commitment remains one of his greatest flaws:

Depending on the success of summer signings Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino and Danny Ings, Balotelli's slant at Rodgers could be validated or ruled out as little more than the musings of a disgruntled employee.

For now, the attacker need only concentrate on enamouring himself with those at the San Siro in the hope Mihajlovic's system will prove more accommodating.