Mario Balotelli’s Liverpool career looks to be edging towards its inevitable conclusion, with the latest reports confirming Serie A side Sampdoria have officially lodged their interest in the Italy international.

As reported by David Amoyal, who translates for GianlucaDiMarzio.com, the 25-year-old is not part of the club’s future plans and while his high wages may be an issue, Sampdoria are hopeful of concluding a deal. It’s also noted that the Blucerchiati have already made contact with Balotelli’s agent, Mino Raiola.

It’d mean a return to Italy just one season on from his move to Merseyside from Milan. Here’s a look at what he’s capable of doing in the Italian top flight:

If Balotelli was to leave Liverpool, it’d be another failed move at another illustrious club. Infamously, he netted just one Premier League goal for the Reds last season and despite being handed plenty of opportunities to impress early in his career at the club, he failed to show the form that once made him one of the brightest forward prospects around.

But his team-mate Alberto Moreno has told Marca (h/t ESPN FC) that scathing criticism of the striker has been unfair and that he has all the qualities to go on to scale great heights:

I think he’s unfairly maligned. He’s a very relaxed guy—he never bothers anyone. He could be a great striker: he’s got the tools.

Things haven’t gone well for him here. He’s really struggled to score goals. ‘This had never happened to me before,’ he told me. I wish him the best if he ends up leaving because he’s a great lad.

There are few denying that Balotelli has the tools to become a world-class player. At his best, he marries power, precision and pace with a ruthless eye for goal. But his attitude has hindered him, showcasing those kinds of traits on a regular basis at Inter Milan, Manchester City, Milan and now Liverpool.

Simon Hughes of the Independent lifted the lid on some of Balotelli’s training ground antics in a recent piece. He claims that the Italian interrupted coaches when addressing the team and once scored an own goal from the halfway line in training for no reason whatsoever. It’s clear a shift in outlook is imperative for this footballer.

After all, Balotelli is approaching his peak years as a player now, and he’ll be acutely aware that the reason he’s such a household name is due to gaffes, not goals. It’s imperative he alters that perception, and based on the acquisitions made by Rodgers this summer—most notably forwards Christian Benteke, Danny Ings and Roberto Firmino—there’s no chance he’ll do so at Liverpool.

Sampdoria may be the perfect club for Balotelli. They don’t have spotlight trained relentlessly on them, they’re a team that aren’t expected to challenge for major honours, and that should allow the Italian to focus on his football.

If he doesn’t, a young man who was once destined for stardom will face an unconquerably steep climb back to the elite level of the game.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1Kj48zd
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