Inter Milan rule out Mario Balotelli return

Inter Milan vice-president Javier Zanetti has said that a January swoop for misfiring Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is not on the cards. The 24-year-old has endured a trying spell at Anfield since a £16m summer switch from AC Milan and has failed to score in his 10 Premier League appearances thus far. Consequently, a return to Italy next month has been mooted for the Italian - who began his career at Inter - but Zanetti says that the Nerazzurri will not be in the queue. "A Balotelli return? We all know Mario is a great player but I think it's difficult because he only just arrived at Liverpool," Zanetti, who played with Balotelli at Inter, told Sky Sport Italia. "In any case, after our game against Lazio we will hold meetings to see what we can do and what is needed in terms of the [transfer] market." Balotelli, who has scored twice in 14 appearances for the Reds, could be facing a two-game ban for posting an 'abusive and/or offensive' image on his Instagram account recently.