Liverpool set to seal Balotelli deal
Liverpool are on the brink of completing their move for
Mario Balotelli after the AC Milan striker was seen at the club's training
ground on Monday, according to AFP.
Balotelli emerged as a target for Reds manager Brendan
Rodgers last week and Liverpool have been locked in talks with the former Manchester City
star's agent since agreeing a reported £16 million fee with Milan .
The 24-year-old Italian's switch to Anfield is expected to
be announced later on Monday after he was photographed going through a
one-on-one session with the Reds' head of conditioning and fitness Ryland
Morgans while wearing a
Balotelli is believed to have agreed a three-year, heavily
incentivised £90,000-per-week contract with the Premier League team after
passing a two-part medical over the weekend.
With the deal all but done, Balotelli is reported to be keen
to travel to Manchester on Monday evening to
watch his new club play his former employers
City at Eastlands.
Balotelli's imminent arrival on Merseyside represents a
major gamble given his reputation as one of the sport's most notorious
bad-boys.
As well as dazzling with some spectacular goals, Balotelli
has also infuriated a series of managers during a chaotic career which has
included spells with Inter Milan, City and AC Milan, as well as with the Italy national
side.
He clashed with Jose Mourinho on numerous occasions at Inter
and also fell out with Roberto Mancini at City, with his eventual sale to Milan in 2013 prompted by
a training ground fight with the Eastlands boss.
Rodgers initially ruled out a move for Balotelli during the
club's pre-season tour of the United
States and he is believed to have asked for
the player's contract to include strict clauses about his behaviour on and off
the pitch.
The desire to land a top-class replacement for Luis Suarez,
who was sold to Barcelona before the start of the season, eventually persuaded
Rodgers to sanction the deal for Balotelli, who won the Premier League and FA
Cup during his time at City.
Speaking about the standards of behaviour expected at Liverpool and his determination to protect them, Rodgers
said: "I think every club will have a code of conduct for the people and
professionals who work (for them).
"We have quite an extensive code of conduct for players
and staff - there is no specific one for any one individual. We have a fantastic environment here and a
great culture and I think it is something that was very important for us to create
and build here.
"There will be nothing that will ever shake that or
provoke it in any way. It is something I always protect at the club."
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