The marriage between Liverpool and Mario Balotelli will be short lived. According to the Daily Express (via Goal Transfer Talk), the Italian international will be offloaded to Inter Milan in January. The move will allow the club to open talks with West Bromwich Albion over Saido Berahino.
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Per the reports, Berahino has also caught the eye of Manchester United and Tottenham.
Balotelli's troubling record led to a one-match ban imposed by the English Football Association. His scoring record—or lack thereof—led to his exclusion from Liverpool's starting XI, this despite having recovered from a groin injury. Recent comments from manager Brendan Rodgers didn't help the 24-year-old's cause, either.
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"I think we've seen that it's [playing a high tempo] not really his game," Rodgers said (via ESPN FC). "Having worked with Mario during the time he's been here, we've seen that he's a player who's better in and around the box, so that level of intensity and pressing isn't a part of his game."
"But you try to get the best out of the players that you have and the qualities that they have, so that's something that we'll focus on," he added. "The most important thing is that he's now available after his ban. That adds another player to our squad, especially with Fabio Borini not being available because of suspension."
Liverpool return to action on Friday. Desperate for points, the club faces Burnley away on Boxing Day.
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