Manager Juergen Klopp has told Mario Balotelli that with so much competition for places up front at Liverpool he should look for another club.
Balotelli has returned for pre-season training following an unsuccessful loan spell at AC Milan but is well down the pecking order at Liverpool, who also have Daniel Sturridge, Christian Benteke, Divock Origi and Danny Ings on the books.
“I have spoken to him about this,” the manager told reporters.
“He’s not at the stage of his career where he should be battling with four or five other players for one or two positions... so it’s clear we need a solution.
“There will be a club around who would be happy to have the new Mario Balotelli. I have spoken clearly to the player about that.”
Sampdoria have expressed their interest in the player, with president Massimo Ferrero saying they would be the perfect club for him to revive his career after scoring just three goals in 23 appearances for Milan last season.
Another player who is unlikely to be lining up for Liverpool for their Premier League opener against Arsenal on August 14 is defender Mamadou Sakho, who underwent treatment for a long-standing Achilles problem. The France international has not played since April after being informed by European football’s governing body that he had failed a dope test.
UEFA dismissed the case against the 26-year-old last week, but Sakho missed Liverpool’s Europa League final defeat by Sevilla in May and was dropped from France’s squad for the European Championship as a result of the charge.
“Mama is injured. He had a little issue with his Achilles when he was playing, one day on, one off, this kind of thing,” Klopp said.
“Mama had a little issue with his Achilles when he was playing, one day on, one off, this kind of thing,” Klopp said.
“When he had his little ‘break’ he used the time to have a little bit of treatment and that now means another three or four weeks before he can train again.
“There was no surgery, he is just not about to train at the moment. He has got some rehab of course and it’s not too good a situation for him, for us, everybody.
“It’s not important what I could say because everyone thinks the same. He’s here, he’s not available at the moment but he is doing rehab. We will see how he reacts to that and then when he can play again.”
Sakho’s likely absence from the beginning of the season next month leaves Klopp short of central defenders.
Slovak veteran Martin Skrtel is in Turkey to sign for Fenerbahce and Ivory Coast’s Kolo Toure has been released leaving Croatia’s Dejan Lovren, Cameroon international Joel Matip, who came on a free transfer from Bundesliga outfit Schalke 04, whilst Germany’s Emre Can is also capable of slotting in at centreback.”
Giggs signs up for Indian futsal league
Welsh football legend Ryan Giggs will return to the pitch as a player in the inaugural Premier Futsal starting in India this week, the organisers announced yesterday.
Brazilian star Ronaldinho and former AC Milan striker Hernan Crespo have also signed up for the event beginning in Chennai on Friday.
Giggs, 42, recently left his assistant manager’s role at Old Trafford following the arrival of former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.
“History waiting to be written! Ryan Giggs, Ronaldinho and Crespo are now part of the Premier Futsal family!” the organisers tweeted.
The tournament, which is the latest franchise-based sporting competition in India, will see six teams with five players each lock horns in the indoor competition.
Each team will be led by a marquee player with Giggs helming Mumbai and England great Paul Scholes, who was signed up last month, leading Bangalore.
Giggs enjoyed a remarkable career with Manchester United between 1990 and 2014, netting 168 goals in 963 appearances.
The Futsal has run foul of India’s national football body, which runs its own Indian Super League and has advised domestic players to keep away from the event.
Futsal organisers insist it is a private league and does not require any authorisation from the All India Football Federation.
Mario Balotelli
