Soccer: Balotelli moves to Liverpool

(ANSA) - Milan, August 22 - Mario Balotelli flew to Liverpool Friday to finalise his transfer from AC Milan to Anfield. The 24-year-old took a medical and signed the contract Saturday.
    The two clubs agreed a 20-million-euro fee Thursday.
    Liverpool want Balotelli to stick to their code of conduct once his 16-million-pound move from is completed, the Daily Telegraph said Friday.
    The British daily said Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers "has sought assurances from Balotelli that he will abide by the club's code of conduct before pressing ahead with the deal". Having agreed a fee with AC Milan, the Merseyside club held talks with Balotelli's agent Mino Raiola in Liverpool on Thursday, during which strict criteria for concluding the deal were stipulated, the Telegraph said. "It is understood Rodgers and the Anfield hierarchy requested a series of clauses to reflect the professional conduct demanded of all Liverpool's players, with Balotelli facing disciplinary measures if he falls out of line," the Telegraph said.
    The former Manchester City Italo-Ghanaian star discussed terms with his new club for more than 24 hours.
    On Thursday Balotelli said goodbye to players and staff at Milan.
    The sometimes temperamental Italy striker was all smiles as he left the Milanello training camp.
    Balotelli, a controversial figure for his on- and off-field antics, joined Serie A club Milan from City last year.
    The centre-forward's oddball behavior has often grabbed headlines.
    In late 2011, he hit headlines with the British media reporting he had his new Maserati temporarily confiscated by police.
    That same season he had to spend a night in a hotel because friends started a blaze with fireworks at his home.
    Last year he came in for criticism after a Naples mobster claimed he had jokingly asked to deal drugs in the southern Italian city.
    There was also an unfortunate darts-throwing incident.
    Last month Balotelli posted a picture on Facebook of himself pointing a gun at the camera, captioned 'Big kiss to the haters' after he took flak over Italy's early exit from the World Cup.
    The former Inter Milan forward has repeatedly been subjected to racist taunts in Italy and abroad.
    He has often reacted with anger, and in one case last year was handed a 10,000-euro fine for insulting the crowd at a match in response to taunting.
    Milan reportedly want FC Porto's Colombia striker Jackson Martinez to replace Balotelli, sources at Silvio Berlusconi's club said Thursday.
    Feelers have been put out to the Portuguese champs, they said.
    Another possible replacement is Torino's Italy striker Alessio Cerci.
    Balotelli had been unsettled amid lack-lustre performances for the Rossneri and new coach Filippo Inzaghi made no secret of his inclination for offloading the sometimes sulky talent, while Reds boss Rodgers was keen to boost his attacking options following the departure of Luis Suarez.
    Balotelli's valuation soared to around 50 million after he scored the Azzurri's winner against England in Brazil but it slumped back after two poor displays as Italy crashed out with defeats to Costa Rica and Uruguay.
    New Italy coach Antonio Conte has ditched predecessor Cesare Prandelli's code of conduct which saw Balotelli dropped twice, but he has urged Italy's most prominent black sportsman to "man up" and dust the chip off his shoulder. Balotelli spent three seasons at Manchester City before returning to Italy, helping to deliver the FA Cup and Premier League title in a spell that saw him score 30 goals in 80 appearances.
    Despite losing serial biter Suarez to Barcelona, Liverpool are among the favourites for the Premier League title after coming close to City last year.
    Balotelli first exploded onto the world scene during an acrimonious spell at Inter Milan from 2007 to 2010, in which he scored 20 goals in 59 appearances.
    He got his first Italy cap in 2010 and has since found the net 13 times in 33 games, the most celebrated being a brace that put Italy past Germany into the final of Euro 2012.
    At Milan he upped his strike rate, scoring 26 goals in 43 games.