Suffice it to say, Mario Balotelli has been a huge disappointment thus far in his spell at Anfield.
The former Milan striker was signed this summer for 16 million, which interestingly is the same amount paid by Arsenal to Manchester United for Danny Welbeck. However, unlike the English international, the Italian has failed to justify why Liverpool brought him in to help bolster their attack this season.
One goal in all competitions, combined with a poor showing in the Champions League during the Reds' loss to Real Madrid and his latest stunt, that saw him exchange shirts with Pepe after his half-time substitution now appears to have frustrated Brendan Rodgers.
Despite dealing with Luis Suarez, another character in his own right, the Uruguayan was held in high regard by Rodgers due to his brilliant displays and goal-scoring exploits that helped Liverpool qualify for European football for the first time in several seasons. The same, however, cannot be said of Balotelli, and the coach didn't rule out the possiblity of an early departure in a recent interview.
"I don’t really want to go down that route [of questioning]," he remaked when asked about the possibility of shipping him out in January.
“He is an individual talent who is working hard to try to fit into the team ethos here and the team identity, but only time will tell.
“We brought in the player to give him a chance and give him every chance. At this moment time of course he hasn’t scored the goals we would like or want.
“It’s not just about improving him; it’s about improving all the players. And we will see come January what the team needs."
The question is, should they sell him, who exactly will be willing to take a risk on the enigmatic attacker? After all, Balotelli, who at 24, isn't over the hill, but certainly isn't a youngster who can be forgiven for some foolish antics here and there.
