When Adriano Galliani, the chief executive of AC Milan, sold Mario Balotelli to Liverpool for £16m, he told friends it had ‘felt like winning the lottery’. Balotelli’s agent Mino Raiola had done a number on Liverpool, telling them that he could get the Italian forward out of Milan on the cheap. In their desperation to replace Luis Suarez, they fell for it. In return, Raiola’s pockets were lined and Liverpool are even understood to have added the five per cent (£800,000) solidarity fee, which is paid to his former clubs, as part of the package. Mario Balotelli during the FA Cup match between AFC Wimbledon and Liverpool on Monday
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Mario Balotelli was sold by AC Milan to Liverpool for £16million
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Milan chief executive told friends it had 'felt like winning the lottery'
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Fronting up and accepting it was a mistake is the best thing for Liverpool
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Finding a buyer for the Italian striker will not be easy
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Jose Mourinho and Roberto Mancini both tried and failed with Balotelli
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If Liverpool can make the numbers work, now is the time to let him go
‘@placeholder got a yellow card in the 42nd minute (it was actually the 20th), so when I got to the dressing room at half-time I spend about 14 minutes of the 15 available speaking only to Mario.