The popularity of the Italian was reflected in his shirt sales.
Liverpool’s signing of Mario Balotelli is not just set to be an on-field success, but is also a commercial coup as the club made £50,000 in shirt sales the day the striker signed.
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According to their CEO Ian Ayre by securing the 24-year-old in a £16m deal from AC Milan they also ensured replica jerseys could fly out of the club shop with the No.45 and Balotelli on the back.
Liverpool sold £50,000 of @FinallyMario shirts on the day he signed, Ian Ayre says
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) September 10, 2014
The Italy international became the ninth new addition to arrive at Anfield this summer as manager Brendan Rodgers looked to plug the gap left by the departure of Luis Suarez to FC Barcelona.
Along with Balotelli the Reds spent a total of £117m on Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Lazar Markovic, Emre Can, Dejan Lovren, Divock Origi, Javier Manquillo and Alberto Moreno.
The fee the Merseyside outfit received for Suarez – which is somewhere between £65m and £75m depending on who is reporting it – compensated for much of that outlay however.
Although not the most expensive acquisition Balotelli is certainly the most exciting and Rodgers will now be tasked with achieving what Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini could not and get the best out of the forward without letting his troublesome nature get in the way.