Liverpool’s former £16m flop urges “wasted” star to quit Anfield

Former Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has advised ex-team-mate Mamadou Sakho to follow in his footsteps and quit the Anfield outfit ahead of the forthcoming January transfer window, according to the Mirror.

The Premier League side, who climbed to the top of the English top-flight standings at the weekend following their impressive 6-1 demolition of Watford at Anfield on Sunday, are tipped to offload the out-of-favour defender during the forthcoming January transfer window.

The 26-year-old, who has 28 international caps for his country, but was not included in Deschamps’ squad for Euro 2016 earlier this summer, has failed to make a single first-team appearance under manager Jurgen Klopp so far this season.

Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

Sakho, who arrived at Anfield from Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain for a reported £18m back in September 2013, has been left out in the cold on Merseyside and is training with the club’s youth team.

Therefore Balotelli, who signed for Liverpool back in August 2014 for a reported £16m, has urged the centre-half to pack his bags and invited him back to Ligue 1, where the Italian forward is now starring for Nice.

The 26-year-old said, “I speak with him from time to time. I said to him: ‘What a waste a player like you is not playing’.

“He has to leave. I said to him: ‘If you want, come to Nice.’ I am going to speak to him about it. In January, it would be good.”