LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, October 22, 2014: Liverpool's Mario Balotelli in action against Real Madrid CF during the UEFA Champions League Group B match at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Brendan Rodgers coy on Mario Balotelli Liverpool exit speculation

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers dodged questions over Mario Balotelli’s future at the club during his press conference at Melwood on Thursday afternoon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwYkQs72ldQ

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against Sunderland at Anfield, Rodgers confirmed that the Italian striker remains injured and won’t play this weekend.

Speculation has grown in recent days following the launch of a Football Association investigation over a social media post of Balotelli’s which appeared to contain anti-Semitic and racist references.

That has intensified rumours that the 24-year-old could be on his way back to Italy in January after a disappointing start to his Liverpool career.

Balotelli has scored just two goals in 14 appearances for the Reds following his £16 million move from AC Milan in the summer.

“He’s very much still a Liverpool player, but he’s injured at the moment so there’s nothing more to add from me,” Rodgers told a room of media.

When asked whether he still considered Balotelli a risky signing and whether his future needs to be considered with the January transfer window on the horizon, Rodgers replied, “He’s not fit to play, so my concentration is on the players who are fit and available to play. That’s my only thinking at the moment.”

Liverpool v Sunderland gets underway at 3pm on Saturday 6th December.