LONDON, August 4- Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has “categorically” written off the chance of signing AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli in the off-season.
The former Manchester City ace has been strongly linked with a return to the Premier League following the Rossoneri’s woeful Serie A campaign, where they could only muster an eighth-placed finish as they missed out on a spot in this term’s Champions League.
This weekend, Rodgers expressed his admiration for the Italy international, claiming the forward has “all the qualities” he likes in a footballer, but the Northern Irishman has now moved to clarify those comments, insisting he will not be making a move for his services this year.
“I can categorically tell you Mario Balotelli will not be at Liverpool,” the Reds boss said.
“In my last press conference I was asked a question about Mario Balotelli and I talked about what a talent he was and what an excellent player he was and the next day it was wrote as if we were signing him.
“I just gave my perception of him as a player. It shouldn’t be transmitted in to us signing the player.”
Rodgers, whose side face Manchester United in the final of the International Champions Cup in the United States on Monday, has already signed Divock Origi, Rickie Lambert, Emre Can, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Lazar Markovic during the current transfer period.
