With nobody interested in taking Mario Balotelli off their hands, Liverpool are reportedly looking towards China as a way to dump the under-performing striker.
The cash-rich Chinese Super League has been throwing around cash in unprecedented amounts, as Liverpool found out recently when they were blown out of the water for January target Alex Teixeira who moved to Jiangsu Suning for an eye-watering £38m.
It is into this frothy market that Liverpool are looking to cash in on with Balotelli.
Currently on loan at AC Milan, the Italy international, who cost the Reds £16m in the summer of 2014, where he has managed just one goal in 10 appearances.
His lack of form, just four goals for Liverpool last season, and high wages has made Super Mario unsaleable in Europe. But having seen the likes of Teixeira, Paris St Germain’s Ezequiel Lavezzi, Atletico Madrid’s Jackson Martinez and Chelsea’s Ramires all complete big-money moves to China in recent weeks it is an avenue which Liverpool are looking to explore.
There have been regular talks with Balotelli’s representative, Mino Raiola, and the club are reasonably confident a solution to ending the 25-year-old’s spell at Liverpool will be found in the summer.