According to The Guardian, Steve McClaren wants to sign a big-name player to appease the Magpies' supporters.
Brendan Rodgers may look to sell the Italian who has struggled to fit in at Anfield since he arrived for £16m in August 2014.
Balotelli, 24, has scored just one league goal in 16 appearances after he joined from AC Milan, where he scored 26 goals in 43 league games.
Restore Data
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | |
| 1 | Liverpool | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 28 |
| 2 | Manchester CityMan City | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 23 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 22 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 22 |
| 5 | Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 22 |
| 6 | Tottenham HotspurSpurs | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 13 | 14 | 19 |
| 7 | Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 19 |
| 8 | Aston Villa | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| 9 | Newcastle UnitedNewcastle | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 18 |
| 10 | Fulham | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 18 |
| 11 | Brentford | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 17 |
| 12 | Manchester UnitedMan Utd | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 15 |
| 13 | Bournemouth | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 17 | -1 | 15 |
| 14 | West Ham UnitedWest Ham | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 19 | -6 | 12 |
| 15 | Everton | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 17 | -7 | 11 |
| 16 | Leicester CityLeicester | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 23 | -8 | 10 |
| 17 | Wolverhampton WanderersWolves | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 28 | -8 | 9 |
| 18 | Crystal Palace | 12 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 17 | -7 | 8 |
| 19 | Ipswich TownIpswich | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 22 | -10 | 8 |
| 20 | Southampton | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 21 | -14 | 4 |
| > Premier League Full Table | |||||||||
