Al-Ittifaq sign former Liverpool striker

Al-Ittifaq FC in Dubai have completed the signing of former Liverpool and Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli on a free transfer, handing the Italian forward the latest move in his well-travelled career.[1]

Balotelli, who has been a free agent since leaving Genoa last summer, has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Emirati club.[1] The deal is set to be officially registered on January 12, in line with the local transfer window.[1]

The 35-year-old arrives with vast top-level experience, having previously played for clubs such as Inter, AC Milan, Manchester City, Liverpool, Marseille, Brescia and others across Italy, England, France, Switzerland and Turkey, as well as earning 36 caps and scoring 14 goals for the Italian national team.[1][2]

Balotelli’s move comes at a time when Liverpool’s own transfer plans are under scrutiny. Despite spending over £400 million last summer, the Reds have struggled this season, and uncertainty over Mohamed Salah’s future has intensified focus on recruitment.[1] Arne Slot’s side are considering additions at centre-back, with long-standing interest in Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi one key storyline in their January plans.[1]

Liverpool came close to signing Guehi for £35 million on Deadline Day in the summer before Crystal Palace pulled out late in negotiations.[1] The defender is approaching the end of his contract, and while Liverpool remain interested, the club are reluctant to overpay given the possibility of a free transfer in the near future.[1]

The situation is linked to contractual questions around Ibrahima Konaté and Andy Robertson, both nearing the final stages of their current deals.[1] Liverpool want to keep Konaté but will not break their wage structure, while Robertson has publicly played down concerns over his future after rebuffing interest from Atletico Madrid last summer.[1]

Against this broader backdrop of uncertainty at Anfield, Balotelli’s switch to Al-Ittifaq represents a fresh chapter away from European football, as he seeks stability and a prominent role in Dubai after a nomadic few years.[1][2]