According to German daily Bild (h/t Metro's Sean Kearns), Liverpool may have signed Joel Matip on a free transfer, meaning they won't have to pay Schalke 04 a transfer fee at the end of the season, but the centre-back will be anything but cheap.
Meanwhile, AC Milan are reportedly fed up with Mario Balotelli and don't plan on turning his loan deal into a permanent move.
Matip will reportedly cost the club no less than £9.4 million during his first season, thanks to a £4 million signing fee and wages of £5.4 million per year.
Those numbers indicate manager Jurgen Klopp expects the 24-year-old to play a big role for the club from the day he sets foot at Anfield, something Bleacher Report's Jack Lusby thinks he's ready for:
Despite making his first foray out of the Bundesliga with this summer switch, Matip is primed for success under Klopp in the Premier League, and after a disappointing winter that saw the Reds miss out on big-money target Alex Teixeira, this is a positive step forward for the club.
[…] On paper, Matip has all the qualities to fill a hole in the Liverpool back line, and at 24 years old, he has the scope to continue his develop under Klopp, who could oversee an overhaul in his defensive ranks this summer.
Per WhoScored.com, he has started 21 Bundesliga matches this season, while he has also played a key role in Schalke's European campaign. Despite his young age, he already has bags of experience, making his first-team debut for Schalke back in 2009.
Matip isn't a perfect prospect, as he isn't the most athletic of defenders and can struggle against bigger, more physical forwards, but his reading of the game is impressive for such a young player. He's calm on the ball and looks comfortable stepping into the midfield, and his ability to win the aerial battles also stands out.
The total cost of the deal to bring him to the Premier League may look relatively high, but the signing of Matip is still a bargain. It's rare to find defenders who have yet to hit their prime but have already started hundreds of matches on the open market, and it's even rarer to sign those players for no transfer fee.
Elsewhere, Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic seems to have tired of on-loan striker Balotelli, who may have played his last match for the Rossoneri. As reported by David Prentice of the Liverpool Echo, he made a very poor impression in a cameo appearance against Genoa, and Mihajlovic was anything but happy:
We should’ve scored a third goal and not risked at the end. It is also my fault, as those who don’t sacrifice themselves for the team to the 94th minute will no longer set foot on the field.
It wasn’t just Balotelli, there were another two or three as well as him, they know who I’m talking about.
Balotelli's loan move back to his former club hasn't panned out, as a serious injury set him back during the first half of the season. This latest rift with his manager could spell the end for Super Mario's Milan career. Per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia, via Eurosport UK), the club has already decided not to make his loan deal permanent.
British pundits also seem resigned to the fact the Italian will return to the club, and Bleacher Report UK's Karl Matchett is already looking ahead:
Karl Matchett @karlmatchett#LFC question: How would a Balotelli-Benteke partnership work out? taking into account style, movement, etc.
The 25-year-old endured a nightmare season under former manager Brendan Rodgers in 2014-15, and when he was sent on loan back to Italy, his Liverpool career appeared to be over. The hiring of Klopp opened the door for a possible return, and it may just be Balotelli's last chance.
He needs to do something to turn his career around in a hurry, as he has already lost his spot in the national team and is starting to run out of top clubs who may be willing to take a risk with him. Balotelli's talent has never been questioned, but his personality and numerous controversies have always overshadowed what he can do on the pitch.
Here's a reminder of some of his “greatest hits":
If Mihajlovic will no longer hand Balotelli minutes at the San Siro, the forward won't have the opportunity to impress Klopp and convince the German he should give him a chance. A strong pre-season will be vital for the Italian, although it may already be too late, and he could be sold during the summer.
