Recent reports have confirmed that Liverpool's out-of-place striker Mario Balotelli is being targeted by Turkish Süper Lig champions Besiktas JK this summer, but the Italy international's wage demand is said to be the factor that is stalling the completion of the deal.
SkySports reported that Besiktas is "keen to sign Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli", according to the club's president Fikret Orman, who allegedly thinks that the 25-year-old forward "could be a good fit" for the Vodafone Arena residents.
The executive also admitted that if Balotelli actually did not have a troublesome reputation, then the Black Eagles would have not been even mentioned in the same sentence with the Palermo, Italy native.
"Mario Balotelli is the type of footballer that our fans can associate themselves with," said Orman. "I'm pretty sure he would attract great attention."
"To be fair, if he wasn't deemed as a trouble-maker, he wouldn't be rumored to be joining us," the president added.
Orman then proceeded to say that he believes his club has the ability to "change" the 6-foot-3 goalscorer and finally let out his full potential as a footballer.
"But we can show some effort and create solutions for Balotelli's infamous troubles. I think he can change with the attention and care he'll receive in Turkey," Orman said. "In short, we want Mario Balotelli and he wants us too."
However, Balotelli's potential loan move to Besiktas is currently stalled because the Turkish champions "refused to match" his current salary with the Reds, Caught Offside indicated.
According to a local newspaper in Turkey, the Black and Whites are "unwilling to pay Balotelli €5.5 million for his season-long loan" and is asking the striker to agree to a lower compensation.
While Liverpool had already accepted the loan offer from Besiktas, Balotelli has not yet decided whether to accept or not the decreased salary he is set to earn with head coach Şenol Güneş' side.
The article also noted that Besiktas is currently under investigation with regards to UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations and would not want to be found guilty of any violations. Even if the club had lost German striker Mario Gomez back to his mother team, Italian Serie A squad Fiorentina, this summer, they want to find a replacement within the bounds of the governing body's rules.
Galatasaray, another Turkish club, recently received a two-year ban from UEFA in participating in any European competitions because they were found infringing the Financial Fair Play rules of the said body.
