Mario Balotelli will return to Liverpool this summer after failing to convince AC Milan to make his loan deal permanent.
The Italy international returned to his former club after a £16 million move to the Reds in 2014 failed to launch but is now set to make a swift return to Anfield at the end of this season after just three goals in 17 Serie A games.
Any hopes of Balotelli making his return to the San Siro a long-term one have been dashed after Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani confirmed that a permanent deal is increasingly unlikely.
He said: “We really like Mario, but he has to convince us to earn a permanent deal.
“Mario is feeling well. He is desperate to stay here at Milan.
“But like I have said before, he does not merit a permanent deal at the moment.”
Should he return to Merseyside, Balotelli is likely to face an uncertain future following revelations that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was unimpressed by the maverick striker’s behaviour during his time at Manchester City.