Besiktas snub Mario Balotelli

Besiktas are not interested in signing Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, the club's sporting director has claimed. The Italy international is set to be offloaded over the summer as he is nowhere near the Reds reckoning for next season.

The 25-year-old largely struggled in his loan spell with AC Milan last term, and this cost him a place in Antonio Conte's squad for the European championships.

Agent Mino Raiola had recently cited that his client would be joining Besiktas in the near future after a nightmare spell at Merseyside.

However, sporting director Erdal Torunogullari has since rebuffed the claims by citing that the club are more keen on holding onto Mario Gomez rather than considering a move for the Reds misfit.

We know Raiola well," he told TMW. "He's even said Balotelli will go to Besiktas, but it's not like that. We're not interested, our priority is to hold on to Mario Gomez."

German striker Gomez netted 28 goals for the Turkish champions on a temporary deal from Fiorentina last season.