Former England striker Emile Heskey does not see the logic behind Liverpool signing AC Milan ace Mario Balotelli owing to his ‘questionable work ethic.’
Following yesterday’s announcement that Balotelli was on the verge of completing a £16m move to Liverpool, 36-year-old Newcastle Jets forward – who was once famed for his lack of ability to score goals for the England squad – has dubbed Milan’s wayward striker a skilful player and great value for money in terms of his high goal to game ratio, which worked out an average of one per every one-and-a-half games last season at Milan.
“In football terms, it’s great business,” he told talkSPORT. “If you look at his goals per game ratio, he’s up there with the best.”
Heskey’s concern is that the Italian is not equipped to fit into Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers’ philosophy for the team owing to his history of behavioural problems.
“It’s the other stuff you get with him that you question,” he said. “The thing for me is his work ethic. Will he buy into Rodgers’ philosophy? Just look at how hard the players work when they don’t have the ball. Will he do that? Every manager thinks he can change someone.”
Balotelli is one of football’s most controversial men, notorious for his hot-headedness both on and off the pitch. The former Manchester City forward will have to adhere to strict codes of behaviour under Liverpool’s no-nonsense coach, but thankfully Rodgers is no stranger to disciplining unruly strikers – he had two seasons of it with his former talisman Luis Suarez.