Liverpool offered Italian forward Mario Balotelli to Malaga this summer, says the sides sporting director.
Balotelli now players for Ligue 1 side Nice and has been their top performer so far this season, after spending last season on loan at AC Milan -he of courseleft the Reds after a torrid spell with the Merseyside club.
Malaga sporting director, Francesc Arnau was speaking toCadena Copewhen he revealed that Balotelli was offered to his club: "Liverpool offered him (Balotelli) to us but we could not afford him. His salary is astronomical. He went to Nice because they produce an economically strong project. There was no possibility he could have come (here)."
Balotelli is reportedly earning€4.5m per year and with seven goals in nine games for the French side, a call-up back to the Italian national side isn't too far away.
Balotelli was key in helping Italy reach the final of Euro 2012, having scored two goals against Germany to help his side reach the final against Spain, which they lost 4-0.
Balotelli: "Brendan Rodgers was my worst coach"
Rodgers: "He's probably right, I couldn't connect with him"
 pic.twitter.com/z8prfVV0pz
Recently the 26-year-old criticised former manager Brenden Rodgers for not handling his players well: "The biggest disappointment I have had was with Brendan Rodgers. I had fun with him in training, but he was disastrous when it came to his relationship with his players.
Not stopping there, he also hit out at current Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, claiming:"I've got nothing against him (Klopp). A situation had been created at Liverpool and he should have had more patience with me."
Balotelli scored two goals in totalfor Liverpool andAC Milan in the past two seasons, but now looks to be reigniting his career in Ligue 1.