Can Balotelli be brilliant for Brendan?

We'll start by saying that £16m for a 24 year old goal scoring machine like Balotelli is a fantastic move. Offload Borini for £14 and Warren Buffet would be proud to do that kind of business.

However, is he the player Liverpool need? Quite simply, yes.
As Andrea Pirlo will tell you in his autobiography, Balotelli's immaturity is a thing of the past. If you don't believe Pirlo and his trustworthy beard, you can just re-watch his controlled displays in the World Cup spear heading the Italian attack. Or, his 14 goals in 25 games for a poor AC Milan side last season. If that still isn't enough, he received 6 yellows and only 1 red card last season, that's not exactly a ten match ban... Which leads us onto some Suarez comparisons.

Super Mario topped Serie A for average shots per game with 5.1 last season: interestingly Suarez averaged 5.5, the premier leagues highest average, followed by Aguero, who managed 3.7 per game. While he's a very different style of player to Suarez, he replaces an aggressive desire to find the back of the net into the Liverpool attack. What he can't replace is the pace, guile and boundless energy of Luis Suarez, especially returning from the pace of Serie A games; which is played at walking pace in comparison to the flat out sprint of the Premier League.

However, Balotelli possesses the 'x-factor' that Suarez did, being so hugely naturally talented, carrying an intimidating self confidence on the pitch and being such a big name in the football world, managers and players will feel the need to double up on Balotelli. Whether pre planned or naturally pulled towards him, it will happen. Consequently giving the lightning pace and intense energy of Sturridge and Sterling more space to run into, as Luis did last season.

Balotelli has everything in his locker, the correct players around him in this Liverpool squad to really come of age. It's now down to him to get his head down and concentrate solely on his football; taking a massive 50% wage cut shows he wants and intends to do this. After all, if he doesn't do well in Merseyside, it could be his last chance to play for a top club.

Contributed by- Bart O'Sullivan