With Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli’s loan move back to AC Milan expected to be completed within the next 48-hours, the 25-year old expressed his glowing love and appreciation for the club that he grew up supporting ahead of a second spell at the San Siro.
“I always had Milan in my heart and always had hope that I would return one day,” enthused the Reds outcast after completing a medical with the Serie A side. “Will I end my career here? I just have to start to work and have a good year. I’m looking forward to training and proving my worth,” continued the Italian. “I have a lot of motivation but I just have to work and not speak.”
Balotelli scored only one Premier League goal for Liverpool following his £16mil move from AC Milan in the dying days of last summer’s transfer window. Exiled from training with the first team after being left off of the club’s extensive summer tour, the Italian attracted interest from a number of lower level Italian clubs as well as Europa League champions Sevilla, but for much of the transfer window it’s been all talk and no action from the lot of them.
That, of course, has changed now that the Milanese side are interested. After a poor end to last season, they’re without European football for the coming year and would struggle to pay Balotelli’s substantial wages — something that Liverpool will cover, subsidizing a portion of his pay packet despite the 25-year old agreeing to take a pay-cut to return to the continent. Without a clause enforcing a sale at the end of the loan period, the Reds could very well be back in the same situation come next year, but that seems to be a risk worth taking to get shot of him for at least the coming campaign.
