Liverpool Agree £16 Million Mario Balotelli Fee

By Joseph Dempsey / August 21, 2014

Mario Balotelli will be returning to the Premier League after Liverpool struck a £16 million deal with the Italian side for the striker's services, according to the BBC. Negotiations are still taking place to agree personal terms with the player, but the former Manchester City ace has already said his goodbyes to AC Milan. Balotelli spent three seasons at City between 2010-13 and scored 20 goals in 54 appearances to help fire the Manchester club to their first league title since 1968. He scored 14 goals in Serie A last season but did not win a trophy in the Italian capital with the Milanese club finishing a disappointing eighth and failing to qualify for Europe. Milan said in a statement on their website:

"Mario Balotelli left Milanello's sporting centre at 13:30 local time, after saying goodbye to his team-mates. Before leaving the premises, the striker has said goodbye to members of Milan's press office."

Balotelli becomes Liverpool's eighth signing of the summer so far, and will follow the arrivals of Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Dejan Lovren (all Southampton), Emre Can (Bayer Leverkusen), Lazar Markovic (Benfica), Javier Manquillo (Atletico Madrid) and Divock Origi (Lille) to Anfield. The Italy international was a big hit in his first spell in England, though was embroiled in a series of off-field disciplinary issues, including a bust-up with former City manager Roberto Mancini that ultimately led to his departure to Italy. However, Reds manager Brendan Rodgers was aware of the fact he needed to sign a quality forward, following the £75 million sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona earlier this summer.