Liverpool tour of Australia: Raheem Sterling named in 30-man squad, Mario Balotelli left out

WANTAWAY star Raheem Sterling has been included Liverpool FC’s squad to tour Australia, but out-of-favour striker Mario Balotelli won’t be making the trip.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 26: Brendan Rodgers manager of Liverpool shakes hands with Raheem Sterling of Liverpool after defeat in a penalty shoot out during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 second leg match between Besiktas JK and Liverpool FC on February 26, 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

WANTAWAY star Raheem Sterling has been included Liverpool FC’s squad to tour Australia and Asia, but out-of-favour striker Mario Balotelli won’t be making the trip.

Brendan Rodgers and his new look backroom team — including former Reds midfielder Gary McAllister, who was on Saturday appointed the club’s new First Team Coach — have named a 30-man squad for the pre-season tour which will take them to Bangkok, Brisbane, Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur.

#LFC have today confirmed the 30-man squad selected for the pre-season tour of Thailand, Australia and Malaysia pic.twitter.com/A2r04kyS6W

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 11, 2015

The Anfield careers of Balotelli, Fabio Borini and Jose Enrique appear to be over after they were excluded from the squad, which is also missing Copa America stars Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho.

Recent signings James Milner, Danny Ings, Adam Bogdan, Nathaniel Clyne and Joe Gomez have all been included.

But Sterling, who made headlines last week after attempting to force through a sale to Manchester City by telling Rodgers that he would not take part in the trip, has been named.

Mario Balotelli will not be travelling to Australia.

The saga bares many similarities to that of Luis Suarez’s inclusion on Liverpool’s first trip to Australia in 2013, when Rodgers forced the Uruguayan to join the squad despite demanding a move to Arsenal.

Suarez appeared downcast during his brief appearance against Melbourne Victory at the MCG, before going on to lead Liverpool’s charge to second in the Premier League that season.

LIVERPOOL FC SQUAD FOR PRE-SEASON TOUR: Mignolet, Bogdan, Fulton, Clyne, Gomez, Lovren, Moreno, Toure, Wisdom, Cleary, Skrtel, Sakho, Maguire, Allen, Henderson, Lucas, Milner, Chirivella, Rossiter, Teixeira, Ibe, Kent, Ojo, Wilson, Lallana, Markovic, Sterling, Ings, Lambert, Origi.

Originally published as Liverpool tour of Australia: Raheem Sterling named in 30-man squad, Mario Balotelli left out