{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Liverpool striker undergoes medical ahead of permanent Anfield exit - report
By Alex Taylor
Liverpool flop Mario Balotelli is having a medical ahead of his deadline-day transfer to Nice, according to a report.
The Daily Mail claim that the maverick forward will join the French outfit before the window closes at 11pm on Wednesday evening.
Sky Sports Transfer Centre broke the news (20:16) that the deal, thought to be a loan, is actually a permanent deal and Sky Sports broadcast live that Balotelli is expected to sign on a free transfer.
This was confirmed by James Pearce from the Liverpool Echo on his personal Twitter page.
Balotelli's #LFC career is over after he completed a free transfer to Nice https://t.co/P9GgRRVTsj
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceEcho) August 31, 2016
The 26-year-old striker has been frozen out by current Reds manager Jurgen Klopp and has been training with the youth team this summer.
Get Exclusive transfers news at Football Insider's YouTube TV channel
The move would represent Balotelli’s first venture outside of English or Italian football in his career.
The Mail says that the former Italy forward threw a dinner party for his friends in Manchester city centre on Monday night, in what seemed to be a grand farewell.
It is understood that Balotelli met with Monaco president Dmitry Rybolovlev earlier in the transfer window, but it is Nice who have secured the attacker’s services.
The former AC Milan player will be hoping he can turn his fortunes around at his new club.
In other Liverpool transfer news, winger Lazar Markovic is considering an approach from Newcastle, according to a report.