Liverpool owners believed Mario Balotelli was a £50million player - Rodgers

Rodgers, who was sacked in October last year, signed Balotelli with the money Liverpool received from the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona.

The Italian striker cost the club £16million but was one of the Rodgers' last options after he failed to sign Alexis Sanchez.

"We played AC Milan in a friendly in America because what we needed was a replacement for a player who could press from the top end of the field," he told Sky's Goals on Sunday programme.

"It wasn't just a goalscorer we were after, Luis Suarez was giving so much more than that – the press and how we wanted to work.

"After the AC Milan game I was asked a question and he wasn't someone I felt was suited or fitted the profile of what we were after."

However Rodgers said the club's owners, Fenway Sports Group, thought he could "develop" Balotelli into a world-class player.

"Come the end of summer, when we were struggling to get in the type of player we wanted for that role, the ownership thought [Balotelli] was a player I could maybe develop," he said.

"He's had issues Mario, he's a wonderful talent and make no mistake. You see him on the training field every day, he's six foot three, he's fast, strong, has the touch.

"They thought this is a £50m player that they can bring in for £16m, and I can maybe develop him how I developed a few of the other players.

"When the owners want you to go down that route and there are no other options, you give it a go."

Balotelli went on to score just one Premier League goal in 16 appearances under Rodgers.