Mario Balotelli is due a six-figure “loyalty bonus” from Liverpool should he remain at the club once the summer transfer window has closed. The Italy international has been frozen out of Brendan Rodgers’ plans at Anfield and made to train away from the first-team squad along with Fabio Borini and José Enrique, who this week accused the Liverpool manager of “alienating” the trio.

But despite appearing to have no future at Liverpool, and despite their ongoing attempts to find him a new club, the striker will receive a lucrative bonus should he remain their employee into a second year.

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Balotelli took a 50% pay cut when he joined Liverpool from Milan in a £16m transfer last August, albeit with his basic £80,000-a-week wage at Anfield topped up with behaviour and performance-related clauses. The forward’s agent, Mino Raiola, also negotiated a series of loyalty bonuses into the three-year contract (Liverpool have the sole option on a fourth year) and one will be payable should Balotelli resist a transfer before 1 September.

Raiola stated earlier this summer that Balotelli would not leave Liverpool in this transfer window amid interest from several Italian clubs, Sampdoria and Bologna among them, which has not progressed into an offer. Liverpool would be prepared to let the striker leave on loan after he made only 10 Premier League starts for Rodgers’ team last season, scoring one league goal, but Balotelli has shown no interest in returning to Italy.

Alberto Moreno, the 25-year-old’s Liverpool team-mate, believes Balotelli has been unfairly criticised during his time on Merseyside. The Spanish defender told Marca: “I think he’s unfairly maligned. He’s a very relaxed guy – he never bothers anyone. He could be a great striker: he’s got the tools. Things haven’t gone well for him here. He’s really struggled to score goals. ‘This had never happened to me before,’ he told me. I wish him the best if he ends up leaving because he’s a great lad.”