GETTY Mario Balotelli could be off to Nice

The maverick Italian striker has been holding talks with the French club and is poised to make the switch before Wednesdays deadline. Balotelli has one year remaining on his contract and the move to the south of France will bring his fitful spell at Anfield to a close. Liverpool expect Balotelli’s agent, Mino Raiola, to conclude the negotiations with the Ligue One side who recently attracted Chinese investors. It will bring to an end another sorry saga in the forward’s career after he joined Liverpool in August 2014 for £16m from AC Milan.

The deal was described as a gamble by the then manager Brendan Rodgers, who was short on strikers having seen Luis Suarez move to Barcelona and interest in Alexis Sanchez falter when he opted to go to Arsenal. Balotelli made 28 appearances, mainly as a substitute, and scored four times, but Rodgers quickly decided the Italy international’s work ethic did not fit with his philosophy. Palermo have also been interested in Balotelli, but Nice are favourites to secure his signature. However, Danny Ings will not be leaving with Sunderland having had a loan bid rejected for the striker, who is still on his way back to full fitness after a cruciate injury.