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Cape Town - Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes
Mario Balotelli won’t be at Anfield next season and has questioned why he was
signed by manager Brendan Rodgers in the first place.
The Reds signed Balotelli from AC Milan for £16 million during the summer, in what has been described as a panic buy on Rodgers’ part, but the Italian has scored just one goal in ten appearances for the Reds so far this season.
The striker’s poor work ethic on the field and attitude towards the game has landed him plenty of criticism lately. Balotelli earned further ire in last night’s Champions League game by swapping shirts with Real defender Pepe at half-time.
According to the Telegraph, Carragher has suggested the striker could soon find himself surplus to requirements.
"I'd be surprised to see him here next season," said the former centre-half, who made over 500 appearances for Liverpool in 17 years.
"It was just a panic; they needed someone. They left it too late and they've bought different players in different positions instead of maybe going out, not spending the whole Suarez money on one player, but buying two or three big players.
"A lot of the players have come in and done a decent job here and there, but nobody's really done anything.
"They bring in Balotelli late on - it's obviously a panic."
Other former Liverpool player Jamie Redknapp has backed his fellow football pundit by adding:
"I don't blame Mario Balotelli - I blame Brendan Rodgers for bringing him here.
"How he thought he could turn around a player that (Jose) Mourinho, (Roberto) Mancini, (Cesare) Prandelli have all washed their hands of...
"There's a reason when you go to the supermarket and things are half price. Why on earth they went for him, I'll never know.
"They should have just left him alone. The fact he went and got him, it just doesn't make any sense to me."
The Reds signed Balotelli from AC Milan for £16 million during the summer, in what has been described as a panic buy on Rodgers’ part, but the Italian has scored just one goal in ten appearances for the Reds so far this season.
The striker’s poor work ethic on the field and attitude towards the game has landed him plenty of criticism lately. Balotelli earned further ire in last night’s Champions League game by swapping shirts with Real defender Pepe at half-time.
According to the Telegraph, Carragher has suggested the striker could soon find himself surplus to requirements.
"I'd be surprised to see him here next season," said the former centre-half, who made over 500 appearances for Liverpool in 17 years.
"It was just a panic; they needed someone. They left it too late and they've bought different players in different positions instead of maybe going out, not spending the whole Suarez money on one player, but buying two or three big players.
"A lot of the players have come in and done a decent job here and there, but nobody's really done anything.
"They bring in Balotelli late on - it's obviously a panic."
Other former Liverpool player Jamie Redknapp has backed his fellow football pundit by adding:
"I don't blame Mario Balotelli - I blame Brendan Rodgers for bringing him here.
"How he thought he could turn around a player that (Jose) Mourinho, (Roberto) Mancini, (Cesare) Prandelli have all washed their hands of...
"There's a reason when you go to the supermarket and things are half price. Why on earth they went for him, I'll never know.
"They should have just left him alone. The fact he went and got him, it just doesn't make any sense to me."
