FORMER Saints Graeme Souness and Jamie Redknapp have questioned why Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers signed controversial striker Mario Balotelli.

The Italian joined the Reds from AC Milan for £16million over the summer but has offered little thus far to suggest he can make a lasting impression at Anfield.

He was hauled off at the interval during the Merseysiders' 3-0 humbling defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League last night.

He was replaced by ex-Saints skipper Adam Lallana, suggesting manager Brendan Rodgers' patience is already wearing thin at the Italian's lacklustre displays.

Balotelli earned further ire by swapping shirts with Real defender Pepe at half-time.

Redknapp, who played for Saints in the second half of 2004/05, said: "I don't blame Mario Balotelli - I blame Brendan Rodgers for bringing him here.

“How he thought he could turn around a player that (Jose) Mourinho, (Roberto) Mancini, (Cesare) Prandelli have all washed their hands of...

“There's a reason when you go to the supermarket and things are half price. Why on earth they went for him, I'll never know.

“They should have just left him alone. The fact he went and got him, it just doesn't make any sense to me.”

Ex-Liverpool boss Souness added: “It was a really, really brave decision to take him into that football club, given the quality of managers and the quality of clubs that have said ‘thanks but no thanks’.”

Balotelli has yet to score in the Premier League this season, contrasting sharply with Graziano Pelle’s amazing start to life at St Mary’s.

Despite costing half of Balotelli’s £16m fee, Pelle has already struck six times in eight league games for Saints.

As a result, he was recently called up into the Italian international squad, but there was no place for Balotelli.