Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has admitted for the first time that Mario Balotelli will be allowed to leave the club this summer.

Many observers raised their eyebrows when Rodgers splashed out £16m for the AC Milan striker last summer and signed him to a lucrative deal at Anfield.

The move never looked likely to pay dividends and a difficult season ended with him limited to a peripheral role at the end of the campaign and he was not taken on the club’s pre-season tour of Australia and Asia.

Liverpool have already added Burnley’s Danny Ings to their squad and have Divock Origi returning from his loan season at Lille.

They also look likely to splash out over £32m on Christian Benteke from Aston Villa so the end of the road has been reached with Balotelli who must now assess any offers from other clubs.

Speaking in Malaysia, Rodgers said: “Mario has not come on tour but he is training hard with other players at Melwood. It is up to Mario (whether he will be a Liverpool player) next season. We’ll see when the season begins.”

Liverpool kick off their Premier League campaign at Stoke and are 2.30 favourites to take all three points despite being thrashed at the Britannia Stadium at the end of last season.