Mario Balotelli has been offered an unusual route out of Liverpool, after Al-Arabi head coach Gianfranco Zola suggested he would welcome him to his club in Qatar.
Balotelli faces an uncertain future at Liverpool after he was left out of the squad for their preseason tour and was then left out of both of their final two preseason matches.
While rumours have linked Balotelli with a move back to Italy, former Chelsea star Zola has suggested a spell in the Qatari league may give both the Liverpool striker and former Italian international Antonio Cassano -- who is a free agent after being released by Parma -- an opportunity to re-launch their careers in a less competitive environment.
"Cassano and Balotelli? They are two top players, and it could be an excellent opportunity for them to play in a league with less scrutiny, recharge their batteries, and return to Europe as protagonists," Zola told Gazzetta Dello Sport.
"I'd recommend it as an experience. We have a lot of players, but if I had the opportunity [to sign them] I'd so it without a second thought."
Zola previously tried to sign Balotelli during his time as West Ham manager back in 2009. A move to Qatar six years later is an option the Italy striker may consider if he is lacking offers from top European clubs in the final month of the transfer window.