According to Italian outlet Calciometro, Liverpool centre-forward Divock Origi is drawing interest from AC Milan for various reasons. The Belgian has entered the final year of his Anfield deal and although there’s been an outside chance of staying put by triggering a one-year extension clause in his existing contract, Tuttomercatoweb has dismissed the possibility of meeting the clause suggesting his summer egress on a Bosman.
Origi has appeared a few times this season which, however, is not enough to trigger the appearance-based extension. The number is impossible to meet now at the backend of the campaign and Milan, impressed by his expertise high up the pitch during their Champions League meetings, are keen on securing his services during the upcoming summer window.
The 26-year-old Belgium international joined Liverpool from Lille back in summer 2014. He was then sent on a season-long loan to his previous club for regular gametime and the Reds’ ‘number 9’ eventually became integral to Jurgen Klopp’s early success since taking charge of the Merseysiders.
Having said that, the striking sensation failed to cement a place over the years due to form and fitness reasons, and therefore, settled for a sporadic role behind the likes of Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota. Yet he earned a cult status in Liverpool for his injury-time winner against Everton along with the Champions League brace versus Barcelona in their historic comeback at Anfield. Origi also fired in the Madrid final to secure the club’s sixth Champions League title and his injury-time strike led to euphoria among the travelling fans as he secured all three points against Wolves at Molineux earlier this season.
Why Origi Does Not Have First-team Future At Liverpool
Despite scoring 5 goals and assisting 3 more in 14 appearances so far this term across competitions, the attacker has not made it to the matchday squad on a number of occasions. The winter addition of Luis Diaz down the left has further jeopardized his first-team minutes and its time for him to explore a new challenge away from Anfield.
Milan are leading the Seria A standings with 8 games remaining and the veterans like Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have done extremely well to spearhead the Rossoneri attack. But they need long-term successors going forward, something Origi would offer across the frontline given his pace and poaching traits. The Liverpool star has previously been deployed from the left and the flexibility he offers would certainly enrich the Italian hotshots in the attacking third.
