I think it’s fair to say that Mario Balotelli has been more of a burden than a solution for The Reds, since he made his much talked about return to the Premier League.
Brendan Rodgers would have looked to the Italian ace to help produce the goals that Luis Suarez did last season. Somebody needed to step up in the Uruguayan’s absence. At the very least, Balotelli needed to ease the pressure on Daniel Sturridge’s and Raheem Sterling’s shoulders. He hasn’t even managed to do this.
Brendan Rodgers has backed his man all the way, but he has noted that with the way he’s currently playing, he’s nothing more than a super sub at the moment. He’s just not playing well enough to get a starting role in the team. That must be why he was an unused substitute as The Reds struggled to a 1-0 victory over Burnley.
I guess that’s what happens when you only score 2 goals in 15 appearances. The fact that he’s yet to get a goal in the Premier League this year is laughable. This is a £16m striker we’re talking about.
This brings me to The Metro‘s claim that Balotelli is looking for a way out. The source suggests that he’s contacted Inter Milan over a potential move back to the club he played for between 2006 and 2010. It’s thought that he’s looking for a loan deal which could mutate into a permanent move if things go well.
This strikes me as a tough call for Brendan Rodgers. After all, he’s not exactly spoiled for choice upfront, is he?
Still, Mario Balotelli does seem better suited to Italian football. He was at AC Milan for two seasons before his move to Liverpool and he scored 30 goals in 54 games. A move back to Serie A could help him to recover his confidence ahead of a return to the Premier League. At the very least, it may help to raise his price-tag, which will currently be at an all time low.
If Rodgers can afford to bring somebody else in to play in his stead then loaning Balotelli out looks like a smart move.
What’s your take? What should Brendan Rodgers do with Mario Balotelli?
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