MARIO BALOTELLI has officially left to join The Reds for €20m; Balo made his exit after just a year and half at Milan.
In January 2013, Balotelli arrived to Milan from Manchester City and signed a five-year deal. However, as said by his agent Mino Raiola, it was just for the troubled striker to have his divorce with the red and black club and now he’s joined Liverpool.
Balotelli did fairly well at Milan in his year and a half as he scored 30 goals in 54 games but the Rossoneri accepted Liverpool’s €20m + bonuses and the Italian striker’s move has been made official today and he’s already trained there.
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“Liverpool can confirm they have completed the signing of Italy striker Mario Balotelli, subject to registration,” Liverpool announced. “The 24-year-old sealed his switch to Anfield from AC Milan after passing a medical and agreeing a long-term deal to become the Reds’ ninth signing of the summer so far.” It’s said he’s signed a 4-year deal worth €5.8m yearly net.
Balotelli is leaving to wear the #45 shirt at Liverpool and will look to fulfill his potential. Milan also confirmed the move on their official website, and made a post, thanking Mario for his efforts and for helping them finish third in the 12/13 season.
We worked well together, Mario. We’ve been happy to have had you here and for this we say good-bye and thank-you. In one year and a half you’ve achieved a lot. You were decisive in our qualification for the Champions League in 2013 and were our top-scorer last season. This is what your Milan thinks of you and this is our chance to confirm it publicly.
There have been lots of memorable moments. The goal-scoring debut versus Udinese, that late winner versus Torino at the San Siro in May last year, the decisive goal against Siena and the screamer against Bologna on Valentine’s Day.
Thank-you for everything and for what you have done at the club. We wish you the very best of luck for your next sporting and professional adventure.
Balo, 24, gave Liverpool an interview after his move: “I’m very happy. We’ve been talking about coming here and I’m happy to be here. Liverpool are one of the best teams here in England. The football is very good here. It’s a great team with young players, and that’s why I came here. The reception from the fans? I didn’t expect it because I’ve always been playing against Liverpool . Whenever I played against Liverpool, the fans weren’t nice with me but that’s normal – it’s football!
“Now that I play for Liverpool, I can see the expectation in people. They’re very happy and that makes me very happy at the same time. If I enjoyed playing at Anfield as an opposing player? No – but when I play with this team [at Anfield], it’s going to be nice for sure. To play here for Liverpool excites me, but if you’re an opponent it’s difficult. I maybe have a little bit more experience than other players – if I can help them, I’m happy to help them. The fact that Liverpool have returned to the Champions League after 5 years? I always start a competition wanting to win it. We will see. I want to win another CL for sure, because the Champions League wasn’t all mine, I was in a team. I want to take this team to the Champions League.
“The return to England? I’m happy to be back because I left England and it was a mistake. I wanted to go to Italy but I realised it was a mistake. If English football suits me better? English football is generally better. English football is beautiful. Number 45? When I first played three or four games with Inter, when I was young, I had 45 because the numbers for young players were from 36 to 50. I took No.45 because I was joking that four plus five is nine – and I scored in all four games. It brings me luck and that’s why I’ve always kept 45. If it sunk in yet that I am a Liverpool player? No. When I meet the team, start training with them and start my first game, I will realise. For now, I have just seen the city,” continued Balotelli.
“My teammates? I am going to meet them soon and I’m excited. The game against City tonight? I’m going to be watching the game. I would love to play but I can’t, so I’ll support them from the stand. I hope to achieve as much as I can here.”
Not bothered by Balo leaving, more by the fact we’ll probably get Hernandez or Pandev to replace him.
Please Galliani bring us Jackson, Destro or maybe Falcao but please not Soldado, Torres or Pandev!
Hernandez would be decent
gallani gna sign dead weight as he been dng eva since the departure off ibra n silva, I’m a big Milan fan so I’ll jst put my hope in the team that we hve alrdy
Honestly, now that we have gotten rid of our players who earn the most in wages(mexes to follow) I see no reason why we can’t get a top quality striker. Maybe Falcao is a distant dream, but Berlusconi is supposed to have lunch with Barbara to discuss whether or not milan can go for Falcao. Also heard that galliani and the owners of Falcao, doyen sports have a great relationship. If we can’t get Falcao or Martinez, then I draw the line on either destro or negredo. But negredo is out until October. Who ever else were linked with like… Read more »
want Cerci? sell Kaka first…
DONE… nothing happened…
sell Robinho then…
DONE… nothing happened…
…
Balotelli Gone…
Forget Cerci, we just aim for Balotelli replacement…
i starting to believe we just can get Eto’o and Pandev at the final day.
Yea Hernandez isn’t bad at all, but yes destro/falcao/martinez please make it happen
Aaaaargh!!!!!
Well according to some sources Falcao is closing deal with Juventus, so if that is true it’s very bad for Milan. I would not be suprised if they get someone like Pandev or Eto’o to replace Balo in fact i would not be suprised if they don’t get anyone to the end of tranfer window. They also making these things to look normal for any Milan fan so we coluld be happy if anyone arrive(alex,menez,armero)… First we get stories about Iturbe,then Vrsaljko,Perin,Cerci now we have such beautiful fairytales about Martinez and Falcao,it’s just to occupy us with some stories. I… Read more »
I`m not sure signing Falcao would be so good, as you can only have him for a year because we will join Real.
I think it would be better to buy a striker that will serve us for years to come, like Martinez or Destro or Muriel.
Well also Jovetic but again that’s beyond of any Galliani’s imagination
From Super Mario to Michael Jackson. I’m waiting till sep 1
I Think mladen petric is still a free agent so thats a no brainer
It looks like Fernando Torres is coming to Milan, I’m not happy with that but I’ll see how he does first. Biabiany linked again? I’d be fine with that he’s a good player. O man most stressfulweek of life
If I would be a Milan Player I would run away from this team as fast as I can… no youth system, no money, no prospect for the future… There is still a week of transfer window left, I’m sure for 99,98% that De Jong will stay with us…
u wouldnt, you woulda just paly for them bcz u would earn that high salary 😉
Good luck Balo, thank you for all your goals and wish you success with your team, and hopefully Milan will be more succesful now too.
Well judging from milan tactics in transfer market they will alwayz want to make the fans happy @ d end by signing a fan favourite which will bee taarabt. A striker like Destro would be ok bt frm d looks of things if dey dnt sign Destro or JMartinez then they will go for Torres cos he’s available for loan. If they get Torres on loan then they will sign Cerci. If not the will sign Destro & get Taarabt(just 4m euros) which I think will be good for us. Whatever the case might be I wud have prefered Edin… Read more »
Remember that glimmer of hope we got when Galliani “resigned” in November?? I know things still wouldn’t be great with Silvio in charge but I can’t see things being as bad as this if Barbara and Maldini had some/more of a say. He’s had THREE MONTHS to find a Balo replacement and now we have a mad dash to sign a reject from a big team like Torres, Borini or Pandev.
how do you categorize borini with those 2?
He’s a Liverpool reject
Can’t believe some of you guys are happy if we get Hernandez – a Man U bench warmer.
Replacement for him? I’ll try matri they are at the same level, next year we will bring osvaldo as our gift
This isn’t what happens when the bald buys a player that is the outkast of the team, he wanted to play with milan since a little boy, so he didn’t shine before because he wasn’t motivated? what happened at milan? he is just a pile of excuses, mediocre balotelli goodbye
Am sad very sad infact angry not bcos we sold him buh bcos dey wont bring in anyone better dan him all dey can do is to manufacture stories not talent am so sorry for oder milan fans like me we still avent got their!!