English Premier League club Liverpool FC is rumored to be set to offload Mario Balotelli to China this summer, but the team had to do it before the Chinese summer transfer window closes on Friday.

The Daily Express reported that the 25-year-old Italian striker "has been tipped to leave Anfield for the Chinese Super League" this week and local newspapers said that "a deal is still on the cards".

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Balotelli and his agents allegedly had been negotiating with different Chinese squads since January but all negotiations had been unfruitful. However, "talks have now been revisited as the striker looks for first-team football next season", the report mentioned.

Liverpool is looking forward to any deal made for the disgruntled Italy international after Reds head coach Jürgen Klopp confirmed that he is a surplus to requirements at the Anfield next season. The Merseyside squad had been looking to offload Balotelli this summer since he arrived from his season-long loan at AC Milan.

Balotelli spent the whole of last term with the Italian Serie A squad, playing 20 games and scoring once in the Italian top flight. He scored three times in 23 games in all competitions for I Rossoneri, though, and he hopes to find a new team where he can revive his struggling career.

Liverpool spent £16 million for the 6-foot-3 Palermo, Italy native in August of 2014 when they bought him from Milan. The Reds were intending for him to replace Barcelona-bound Luis Suárez at that time, but he never performed according to expectations.

"I can talk of Mario because that one is obvious and I have spoken to him about this," said Klopp.

"He's not at the stage of his career where he should be battling with four or five players for one or two positions. So it's clear we need a solution. There will be a club who would be happy to have the new Mario Balotelli," the German mentor added.

Italian Football Daily indicated that Balotelli's agent, Mino Raiola, is keen on keeping his client in Europe but his options were quite limited at the moment.

Other Serie A clubs Sampdoria and Crotone were rumored to be potential landing spots for Balotelli, but they cannot afford to pay his wage demands.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League rumors, Mario Balotelli, Liverpool FC