John Barnes says that Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli wasn’t the only bad signing by a Premier League club last summer, as Chelsea and Manchester United also brought in players that “didn’t work”.
Balotelli failed to live up to his £16million fee during his first campaign at Anfield, and he netted just four goals in all competitions.
But former Reds star Barnes believes the Italian’s poor season has been blown out of proportion.
“Sometimes it works and sometimes, it doesn’t,” Barnes told the Evening Standard.
“Liverpool aren’t the only club who signed players who didn’t work. Chelsea signed Filipe Luis at left-back – that hasn’t worked – but because they won the league, no one questioned that.
“Manchester United signed Radamel Falcao and that didn’t work.
“The environment [for Balotelli] probably didn’t suit him. It was a gamble, and it didn’t work.”
Liverpool have been unable to replace the goals of the departed Luis Suarez and the injured Daniel Sturridge, and Balotelli has taken much of the blame.
The Italian’s future at Liverpool appears in doubt with Sampdoria interested in a loan deal, but the player’s agent Mino Raiola stated last month that his client will play under Brendan Rodgers next season.
Strikers Danny Ings and Divock Origi will be part of the Reds’ squad for the 2015-16 campaign, and Barnes believes Balotelli still has a role to play should he remain on Merseyside.
“He still has a lot of potential, but we have to get new signings to carry us back into the top four,” he said.
“He has the quality because he went to the World Cup [with Italy] and we’ve seen him play for AC Milan. He has to want to do well himself.
“Origi is coming in and Ings, so it’s not important whether Balotelli is going to play well or not. It’s a bonus for me, then, if he stays and does well.”
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