Mario Balotelli leaves Liverpool for French club Nice on a free transfer

Nice have completed a surprise move for Mario Balotelli

Mario Balotelli has left Liverpool and joined Ligue 1 club Nice on a free transfer.

The Italian striker spent most of Tuesday on the south coast of France where he agreed to a permanent move away from Liverpool.

Image: Balotelli spent last season on loan at his former club AC Milan

Palermo had also expressed an interest in Balotelli who has not played for Liverpool since April 2015, having moved to Anfield the previous summer.

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Balotelli joined the Reds from Milan in a £16m deal during a major recruitment haul in the summer of 2014, but has scored only four goals and just one in the Premier League. 

He spent last season on loan back at Milan and has made a total of just 28 appearances in two years for Liverpool.

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Image: Liverpool are also trying to move Mamadou Sakho out on loan before the deadline

Liverpool had hoped that Mamadou Sakho would go out on loan but there was no deal before the deadline, so the centre-back stays at Anfield.

Youngster Andre Wisdom has completed a loan move to Red Bull Salzburg while Luis Alberto has moved to Lazio in a £4.3m permanent deal.

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