Steven Gerrard was less than convinced when Brendan Rodgers told him he was signing Mario Balotelli.

Before sealing a transfer to Anfield, Balotelli spent three seasons at Manchester City. He left England for AC Milan, eventually returning to the Premier League with Liverpool in 2014.

Then-Liverpool manager Rodgers spoke to Gerrard about snapping up the maverick Italian striker, and his reaction says it all.

“In my last season, Brendan Rodgers came to me at Melwood one day in mid-August. We had a chat on the training pitch,” he said.

“He said, ‘You know we’ve missed out on a couple of signings. I’m basically left with no option but to have a bit of a gamble.’

“Brendan paused before he spoke again: ‘The gamble is Mario Balotelli.’ My instant reaction was, ‘Uh-oh.'”

Image: PA

Image: PA

Balotelli didn’t have great of reputation. A talented yet controversial player, to say the least.

Famous for his off-field stunts including setting off fireworks inside his house.

“I’d never met Balotelli but I’d heard all the stories about the indoor fireworks and Jose Mourinho describing him as an ‘unmanageable’ player,” Gerrard added.

“I could see that, in the right mood, he was a quality footballer but the rest of his career seemed like a spectacular waste of talent. That was my opinion of Balotelli.”

Balotelli failed to produce at Liverpool. He lasted one season and netted just one top flight goal.

He returned to Italy before securing a permanent transfer at Nice in 2016. He remains in France and has actually enjoyed a prolific stint.