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Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri has denied reports linking the Italian champions with a move for Liverpool FC striker Mario Balotelli.

Reports had surfaced over the weekend suggesting the Serie A giants were looking to sign the out-of-favour forward on loan this month.

They seemed to be supported when Allegri himself was quoted as saying that he was an admirer of the 24-year-old, whom he worked with as manager of AC Milan.

But speaking to Italian television station RAI on Monday, Allegri distanced himself from the reports.

The ECHO understands Liverpool have received no formal offers, loan or otherwise, for Balotelli this month, and would be reluctant to sanction a loan deal for the Italian international in any case.

Balotelli is yet to score a Premier League goal for the Reds, and has not started a game since the defeat at Chelsea on 8 November.

Allegri said: “I think this is a made up story. Balotelli has done very well with me but he belongs to Liverpool and he is not a player that can arrive at Juventus.”

The player’s agent Mino Raiola, meanwhile, insists his client has no regrets over his decision to move to Merseyside back in August.

“I’m not worried,” Raiola said. “Mario has been out for almost 10 weeks with an injury and you cannot judge him until he is 100 per cent fit. It’s not easy to go abroad and adapt quickly to a new team.

“Decisions are judged at the time when they are made. In the summer, it was right to leave Milan and I would do it again. Mario has gone to the best league in the world.

“Now he is not doing well at Liverpool for different reasons but Mario is calm and he is working to return to be in top condition. I do not regret this transfer and Mario’s departure from Milan.”

Liverpool expect Oussama Assaidi’s £4.7m move to Al-Ahli to go through this week. The Moroccan was recalled from a season-long loan from Stoke City last week, and will join the Dubai-based club on a permanent basis in the next few days.

Assaidi made just 12 appearances for the Reds after arriving from Heerenveen in a £2.4m deal in the summer of 2012.