Bologna sporting director Pantaleo Corvino feels Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli needs help, but has conceded that the forward is beyond their financial means.
The Italian striker has been increasingly marginalised at Liverpool, being omitted from their pre-season tour, and the club are desperate to offload him this summer.
Lazio are ready to take him back to Italy during the current transfer window, but are only willing to pay a portion of the salary the forward earns.
The 24-year-old is also on Bologna’s radar, but the club hierarchy have stressed that they would only move for the forward if he decides to lower his wage demands.
Corvino, the Bologna sporting director, admits that Balotelli’s mistakes are overshadowing the quality he clearly possesses, but feels Italian football should do everything to save the talented striker.
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Speaking to Sky Italia, the Bologna sporting director said: “Balotelli has great quality, but it is getting lost because of the mistakes he has committed in recent years.
“He is hanging by a thread and Italian football must do something to help him because then the thread can become a rope.”
However, the Bologna official stressed that the amount of money needed to prise him away from Liverpool is beyond their means.
“A club can only help him if they can afford him and at this moment it would require €5m to €6m for his transfer, a figure which is beyond our possibility.”
Sampdoria have also washed their hands off the chase for Balotelli and Liverpool are finding it increasingly hard to find a taker for the out-of-favour striker.
