Rafael Benitez: 'Mario Balotelli not joining Napoli'

Former Liverpool and current Napoli manager Rafael Benitez has insisted that he has no plans to sign Mario Balotelli during the January transfer window.

The Italian striker only arrived at Anfield from AC Milan in the summer, but he has struggled to find any consistent form on Merseyside and is still without a goal from his nine Premier League outings.

That had resulted in speculation that he could make a swift return to his homeland this winter, but Benitez has ruled his club out of the running.

"Liverpool fans are loyal. If he works in the field then they will support him. Mario coming to us in January, though? There is absolutely nothing to this, it is just a hypothesis that I have never considered," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

New Inter Milan head coach Roberto Mancini also recently insisted that he had no intention of re-signing the 24-year-old.