Liverpool reportedly only wanted to sign Mario Balotelli after missing out on Lazio striker Keita Balde Diao, with the Anfield club not offering enough for the striker’s signature, as reported by The Metro.
The loss of Luis Suarez at the start of the transfer window to Barcelona left Liverpool needing to add another striker, with only Daniel Sturridge and Rickie Lambert considered up to scratch among Brendan Rodgers’s options.
The Anfield club surprisingly added Balotelli towards the end of the window, despite Rodgers suggesting that they had no interest in the Italian international. It now seems as though the former AC Milan man was not their first choice, but necessitated by a rejection elsewhere.
Diao’s agent, Angelo Cascella, has now told the press that the Merseyside club made a £16 million bid to bring the 19 year old in, but with the bid having been turned down by Lazio, they instead chose to sign Balotelli for the same price. Lazio are thought to want £24 million for the youngster.
Cascella said: “Liverpool offered £16million for Keita during the summer, but Lazio rejected their proposal.”
