How does Liverpool’s newest signing stack up against the man they nearly bought instead?
Liverpool clinched the signing of Italian maestro Mario Balotelli this weekend, but it could nearly have been very different.
A few weeks ago French striker Loic Remy arrived at the club for a medical, only for the move to break down, for reasons still officially not clarified.
Remy would have cost in the region of £8.5 million, half the price of Balotelli’s move from AC Milan.
So how does the QPR forward compare to Liverpool’s new addition?
Here’s a look at their 2013/14 seasons, where Remy was on loan at Newcastle United and Balotelli playing for AC Milan. Statistics for Premier League and Serie A form only.
| Team | Apps | Goals | Goals | Total Scoring Att | Goals per shots ratio | Pass Accuracy% | Tackles Won | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loïc Remy | Newcastle | 26 | 14 | 3 | 90 | 15.6% | 80.82 | 26 |
| Mario Balotelli | AC Milan | 30 | 14 | 6 | 152 | 9.2% | 83.69 | 3 |
Both players struck 14 goals, but it was Loic Remy who had a better conversion rate.
Balotelli provided more assists than the Frenchman, but considering he costs double the price, overall Liverpool are not necessarily getting twice the player.
The hope is that Balotelli, 24, can go onto become an even better performer than he is, while Remy, 27, may have less room for improvement.
Remy would have been the safer, and cheaper option, but Balotelli has a higher talent ceiling, but also carries a big risk, in terms of disruption he can bring to the club’s performances and harmonious dressing room.
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