MARIO Balotelli may not be playing in tonight's game against Cherries – but we thought we'd round up a few things you may not know about Liverpool’s mercurial talent.

With the Anfield club’s patchy form coming under the media spotlight, two stars from Liverpool’s past – Paul Ince and John Aldridge – have called for the controversial summer signing to be moved on.

Here we take a journey through some of the madcap moments from 24-year-old Balotelli’s incident-packed life so far.

1. Balotelli was given up for adoption by his Ghanaian parents at the age of two to aid his recovery from a life-threatening intestinal condition.

2. His biological mother, Rose Barwuah, now lives in Manchester and despite her son’s riches, is understood to work as a cleaner for national minimum wage.

3. Having made his first-team debut for Lumezzane in Italy’s third tier, 15-year-old Balotelli had an unsuccessful trial with Barcelona in 2006.

4. During his time with Manchester City, Balotelli reportedly helped a young autograph hunter who was being bullied and handed over £1,000 to a homeless man after a night in a casino.

5. However, during his time at Eastlands he was also reported to have been questioned for entering the grounds of a women’s prison in Italy and disciplined for throwing darts out of a first-floor window at a youth-team player.

6. Reports emanating from Italy in 2011 claimed that anti-mafia investigators wanted to speak with Balotelli following an alleged visit to a known mob hot spot in Naples.

7. Rap artist Tinchy Stryder and his grime crew Ruff Sqwad released a song in honour of the unpredictable star in 2012.

8. Having made a £19million move from Manchester City to AC Milan in January 2013, Balotelli amassed 28 goals, 20 yellow cards and one red card in just 51 appearances for the Italian giants.

9. The reported value of his past three transfers (Inter Milan to Manchester City to AC Milan to Liverpool) is a whopping £59million.

10. Balotelli has played a part in both of Liverpool’s League Cup ties so far this season and inspired a last-ditch fight back in the final four minutes of their 2-1 victory over Swansea City in the last round.