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A lot will be written about Mario Balotelli after confirmation Liverpool have opened talks with the AC Milan striker.

But beneath the controversies – fireworks, driving Ferraris around go-kart tracks – is a football player, one who has won the Premier League title, four Serie A titles and a Champions League.

Here are the raw numbers about the sort of player he is.

14 – The number of league goals scored by Balotelli for AC Milan in 25 starts last season, the biggest haul of his career.

10 – The number of yellow cards acquired by Balotelli for Milan last season - also the biggest haul of his career.

4 – The striker won four league titles in five seasons: four at Inter Milan and one at Manchester City.

102 – During City's title-winning campaign, the Italian scored a goal every 102 minutes. His 13 goals, including two in the vital 3-3 draw at home to Sunderland, helped the club to their first title in 44 years.

32 – Chances created for Milan last season – three more than Daniel Sturridge, but a total that would still put him sixth on the Reds' overall list behind Luis Suarez (87), Steven Gerrard (67), Philippe Coutinho (64), Jordan Henderson (62) and Raheem Sterling (51).

49 – Percentage of shots that hit the target for Milan last season – identical to Sturridge's.

132 – Balotelli has a lower minute-to-goal ratio at AC Milan than both Sturridge (136) and Suarez (138) in the Premier League, including 12 goals in just 13 appearances after his move to the San Siro in January 2013.

5.1 – The average number of shots Balotelli took for Milan per game last season, making him the most frequent shooter in Serie A. Only Suarez (5.5) had more in England last season.

26 – The 24-year-old scored 26 consecutive penalties in his career before Napoli's Pepe Reina saved his effort in September 2013. He then missed his next penalty, against Genoa, in November.

101 – Balotelli was fouled 101 times – an average of 3.4 times a game – albeit in a league with stricter referees. Suarez was fouled on average twice a game.

11 – His first international goal came on November 11, 2011 in a 2-0 win over Poland. He's scored 13 in total including two against Germany in the Euro 2012 semi-final and against England in this summer's World Cup.

35 – It was 35 years since City's last trophy when they lifted the FA Cup in 2011, and Balotelli was named man of the match in the final against Stoke.

Watch: James Pearce on Liverpool FC's move for Mario Balotelli

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*Live: Mario Balotelli LFC transfer talks rumours and reaction and the numbers behind the character as Liverpool FC open talks for Milan striker.