Mario Balotelli's Liverpool career is OVER as transfer to the Chinese Super League looms

Jurgen Klopp has no interest in striker now on loan at AC Milan and no English or Italian clubs fancy him, but Reds feel he'll find a home in the Far East

  Exit: Balotelli has been deemed surplus to requirements at Anfield

Mario Balotelli’s Liverpool career is finished - helped by China.
Italy international striker Balotelli has failed to ignite during a disappointing loan spell with AC Milan, ending any chance of a permanent move back to his home country.

With boss Jurgen Klopp not even keeping tabs on the £15million man and unwilling to accommodate him within the squad, it potentially leaves the prospect of yet another expensive misfit picking up huge Anfield wages without playing.

But we understand Liverpool executives are confident the player will find a lucrative new home in China, after failing to attract any interest from either the Premier League or Serie A.

With players such as Alex Teixeira, Ramires and Ezequiel Lavezzi all accepting mind-blowing contracts of more than £10m a year to join the Chinese revolution, and big players such as Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar and targeted next, Balotelli is an obvious star name for the expanding league.

His agent Mino Raiola is aware of the riches on offer, and is thought to prefer the Far East option over the only other options in Italy.

It will come as a huge financial bonus for Liverpool, who will expect to get their money back for the player they bought from AC for £15m 18 months ago, and will also avoid the prospect of having to pay off some of his contract for him to leave.

That could amount to a £25m windfall.

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Anfield commercial officer Billy Hogan is currently in the Far East exploring sponsorship and investment opportunities, and there had been plenty of interest from the Chinese league in rescuing Balotelli’s stuttering career.

Hogan has been in talks with three different companies in China and Asia over a naming rights deal for the new stand at Anfield which is due to open next season, and is at advanced stage over an agreement that could bring in £90m over a 10-year period.

Falter: Balotelli failed to sufficiently impress while on loan with AC Milan in Serie A

Liverpool are also exploring new contracts for their training kit sponsorship, as current partners Garuda International are due to end their £5.5m a year deal in the summer.

And there is the prospect of a Chinese company agreeing a double deal to become stand and kit sponsors.

More intriguingly for the Reds, is the possibility of investment from China in the club itself, with owners Fenway Sports Group open to the idea of a partnership with a company that will give them greater reach in the lucrative Far East markets.

Sources close to the American owners have categorically ruled out ANY suggestion of a takeover, and they also stress that the club is not looking for a cash injection.

Instead, they want to follow Manchester City’s lead, by finding a partner who will take a nominal stake in the ownership group – perhaps of around 10 per cent – in return for marketing expertise in the Far East, which would expand the already popular Liverpool brand out there.

City’s owner Sheikh Mansour sold a 13 per cent in the holding company which owns the Manchester club amongst others to state-backed China Media Capital Holdings (CMC) and CITIC Capital.

Liverpool believe they can eventually do the same, though that is part of a longer term plan for the Reds. In the short term, the aim is to offload Balotelli without making a loss on their initial investment.

Sources suggest Raiola has given assurances he will find a club in the summer if not before, and increasingly, China seems the most likely destination.

CREDIT:http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/mario-balotellis-liverpool-career-over-7404420