Liverpool transfer news: Mario Balotelli to return as AC Milan reject permanent move, says Silvio Berlusconi

Balotelli has spent the 2015/16 season on loan with Milan but will not remain with the club next season

Mario Balotelli will not be signed permanently by AC Milan, says Silvio Berlusconi (Getty)

Mario Balotelli looks set to return to Liverpool after AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi intimated the Serie A club would not be making their loan deal for the mercurial Italian a permanent one.

Balotelli moved back to Milan on a season-long loan last year after failing to impress in Merseyside, scoring just one Premier League goal following a £16million switch from the San Siro in August 2014.

However, his second stint with Milan has proved similarly unproductive as he has only managed to find the back of the net once in 20 league appearances, and that was last September in a 3-2 win at Udinese.

The 25-year-old started Milan's last two league matches, leading to suggestions he could remain with the club although Berlusconi has signalled the former Manchester City striker will be heading back to Anfield.

Balotelli is likely to be sold by Liverpool this summer (Getty) (Getty Images)

In quotes published by Gazzetta dello Sport, Berlusconi said: "There will be many departures because players such as Alex, [Philippe] Mexes, [Kevin-Prince] Boateng and Balotelli are at the end of their contracts."

Balotelli, who was left out of Italy's Euro 2016 squad, admitted last month that he would be reluctant to link up with the Reds once more.

"In terms of my future I want to stay with Milan because I was not happy at Liverpool and don't want to go back," he said.

PA