Last season’s Premier League runners-up, Liverpool FC, have agreed to a deal worth a reported £16 million for 24-year-old Italian striker “Super” Mario Balotelli of A.C Milan.
Balotelli will have big shoes to fill this season with the departure of Wonder Boy Luis Suarez to the Barcelona Reds this summer. Suarez finished last season scoring 31 goals in 33 appearances for the Reds, winning the Player of the Year Award, the Premier League Player of the Season, and the Premier League Golden Boot. Suarez and Daniel Sturridge combined to score 52 goals together, which made them one of the most-feared attacking duos in the league.
Liverpool is aware of Balotelli’s past tantrums and adds that Balotelli must abide by the team’s behavior clauses before anything else happens. Suarez was in the media last season for biting the arm of Chelsea Defender Branislav Ivanovic, which resulted in a ban of 10 matches. Liverpool would not want to get more negative attention from their players, but they seem willing to take the risk for Balotelli, a hot-headed but very talented striker. Balotelli was fined for a scuffle between then-boss Roberto Mancini during a training session.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will hope that Balotelli can help replicate last season’s success in the final third with help from Sturridge and youngster Rahim Sterling to form a dynamic trio that is sure to intimidate and devour defenses. Balotelli is a versatile striker who can do nearly anything in and outside of the box. He can score from anywhere, out-dribble defenders, and still make it to the box for tap-ins.
Liverpool has buffed up their attacking lineup in hopes of coming close to holding the league trophy in their hands once again since last winning the league championship in 1990 — before the creation of the Premier League in 1992.
This season, however, Liverpool will have to deal with the pressure of Champions League play for the first time since 2010. This means more games against tougher opponents, which will impart more stress on Liverpool players. Rodgers is planning ahead with all of his new signings and will most likely play Balotelli more in the Champions League with the experience that he has in his short but successful career.
Balotelli will return to the Premier League after a somewhat successful run at Manchester City with 20 goals in 54 appearances and winning the FA Cup in 2011 and the League in 2012 with Roberto Mancini.
In 2013, Balotelli transferred over to A.C Milan for roughly €20 million. Since then, he has scored 28 goals in 43 appearances for the Italian club, yet the club finished 8th in the Series A.
Surely at £16million, Liverpool has come across a great deal considering Lallana was worth £25 million. Lallana made a name for himself just last season and has yet to earn the moniker of a World Class Player.
Liverpool came close to winning the league last season, but with a series of mistakes at the end of the season, the title slipped through their hands. Liverpool has signed nine new players this transfer season including Southampton stars Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert as well as German player Emre Can from Bayern Leverkusen. Lallana and Can will definitely add depth and strength to their midfield that already includes Brazilian Phillippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson. Captain and star man Steven Gerrard is coming close to the end of his career and recently retired from international football after a bad run at the World Cup.
Balotelli was less than impressive at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, scoring only one goal against England and was eliminated during Group stages to Costa Rica and Uruguay.
Since he enjoys being the center of attention, it will be interesting to see how well Balotelli links up with the young players at Liverpool and how the loyal fans will react to any decisions he makes on and off of the field.
PHOTO CREDIT: John Powell,Liverpool FC, Getty Images
