CONFIRMED: Mario Balotelli completes £16m Liverpool move

Liverpool have completed the signing of Italian international forward Mario Balotelli from AC Milan.

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On signing for the club, Balotelli told Liverpool’s official website, “I’m very happy. We’ve been talking about coming here and now I’m happy to be here.

“Liverpool are one of the best teams here in England and the football is very good here.

“It’s a great team with young players, and that’s why I came here.”

He will wear the No. 45 shirt for the Reds, explaining, “When I first played three or four games with Inter Milan, when I was young, I had No.45 because the numbers for young players were from No.36 to No.50.

“I took No.45 because I was joking that four plus five is nine – and I scored in all four games. It brings me luck and that’s why I’ve always kept No.45.”

The 24-year-old flew back to England on Monday morning after spending the weekend in Italy and put pen to paper on what is understood to be a three-year deal worth £80,000 per week, according to The Guardian.

Earlier in the day Balotelli was spotted taking his first training session with the club’s conditioning coach, Ryland Morgans.

He later posted a photo of himself with the club’s badge on his official Instagram account, prior to the official announcement by Liverpool:

Balotelli returns to the Premier League a year and a half after leaving Manchester City for Milan. He scored 30 goals in 54 games for the Serie A club and will provide Liverpool with further attacking ammunition.

Balotelli was not registered in time to be eligible to face his former club when the Reds go to Man City on Monday night in the Premier League, but he will likely make his debut away at Tottenham on Sunday, August 31st.

How do you see Balotelli being deployed at Liverpool? Let us know your thoughts on the Reds’ latest addition in the comments below or in our Liverpool FC Forums

Welcome to Liverpool, Mario!