LONDON: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has said signing Mario Balotelli is a “risk worth taking” after terms were agreed for the 24-year-old’s return to Premier League from Milan.

Balotelli saw his new club beaten by his last English club, Manchester City, last night after completing the formalities of his £16m transfer.

Rodgers acknowledged that he was well aware of the Italy forward’s controversy-scarred career but was not put off.

He said: “I’ve worked with those type of players all my life from when I worked in youth coaching. I never had the finished article and that’s how – at times – I like it.

“Most players I like to sit down and look in the eye and see the honesty and the humility that they have.

“I spent a bit of time with him, about three-and-a-half hours, just talking him through Liverpool – it’s a massive club and it’s a different club, it’s a family club with strong family values and as I said behaviour is very important here.

“He’s a very bright boy. He was very clever. He understood where he’s at this stage of his career and he knows himself that this is probably his last chance.

“I look at the talent. He’s a wonderful talent. There’s no doubt he’s at a stage in his career that this might be the last chance at a big club because he needs to settle down and show maturity.

“He’s got huge potential but needs to come to Liverpool and be consistent because if he can do that we’ve got one hell of a player.”

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