Liverpool Transfer Rumors, News: Will Signing of Mario Balotelli Be a Disaster for the Dressing Room?

By Max Bonto, Christian Post Contributor Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Liverpool has recently just finished a £16 million transfer deal for Mancherster City's Mario Balotelli. The 24-year old player has a agreed to a long-term contract with the Merseyside club but was not immediately played during Liverpool's match against City Monday.

"I think we have done a really smart piece of business here. This transfer represents outstanding value for the club," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.

Balotelli said he made an error leaving England back in January of 2013.

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"I'm happy to be back because I left England and it was a mistake. I wanted to go to Italy, but I realized it was a msitake," he said.

The former inter-Milan player went to watch Liverpool's game against Manchester City Tuesday after meeting up with his new teammates in the dressing room before travelling back to Liverpool on the team coach. The game ended 3-1 against Liverpool.

"There is no doubting Mario's ability. He is a world-class talent and someone who, for such a young age, has vast experience of playing at the very highest level," Rodgers added. "He has scored goals in the Barclays Premier League, in Italy, in the Champions League and for his country at international level."

No doubt Balotelli is a skilled player, but he has been the center of a number of controversies surrounding his off-pitch behavior including a training ground row with then-manager Roberto Mancini.

Former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie believes that the signing of Balotelli poses a huge risk for the integrity of the team, especially in the dressing room.

"His reputation does go before him. Brendan Rodgers, out of all the young managers, would probably be the one to handle him better than most, but I still think it's a big gamble," Gillespie told BBC Radio 5 live.

Mark Lawrenson, another former Liverpool player, disagreed with Gillespie's statement.

"For £16m, it's not too much money. When you think that Shane Long went to Hull for £12m and Ross McCormack to Leeds for £11m, it's not a lot of money in comparison," he told Radio 5 live.

"He's [Balotelli] made lots of mistakes in the past – and he might make some more – but what's the worst that can happen? If it doesn't work, someone else will take him in the future, either in January or next summer," he added.

People have been saying that Balotelli might upset the dressing room, but all the players he has played with have loved him, and there's no denying he's a popular guy.