Liverpool hope they can finally offload Alberto Aquilani back to Serie A after informing the Italian he is not part of Brendan Rodgers’ plans.
Aquilani did not return to Merseyside with the rest of the Liverpool squad when they flew home from their North America tour on Saturday.
Instead, he headed to Rome to see if a deal could be struck with numerous Serie A sides, one of which is believed to be Fiorentina.
The 28 year-old, who cost Liverpool £20 million in 2009, now realizes there is little chance of him reviving his career at Anfield, but offloading him is not easy because of his staggering financial package.
The Italian’s lucrative contract equates to around £6.5 million a year, an expense which has only been reduced in recent years thanks to loan deals. He spent last year at AC Milan and has also been loaned to Juventus in the past.
To put it into perspective, the £125,000 a week he is currently costing the Anfield club double what Anfield stalwart Jamie Carragher earns.
Rodgers hopes that the desire to revive his career will motivate Aquilani to seek pastures new and reduce Liverpool’s extortionate wage bill. Aquilani still has two years of a five-year contract remaining.
Rodgers left Aquilani out of the last tour game, a 0-0 draw with Tottenham in Baltimore, before giving him permission to fly to Italy instead of Merseyside.
Liverpool are unlikely to raise more than a nominal fee for Aquilani’s services when he is sold.
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