Liverpool have reportedly demanded a £20 million transfer fee for out-of-favour striker Divock Origi after Wolves made an offer of £10 million.
According to Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, Liverpool have slapped a price tag of £20 million on striker Divock Origi, who has emerged as a transfer target for fellow Premier League club Wolves.
Origi was signed by Liverpool from LOSC Lille in the summer of 2014 before being loaned right back to the Ligue 1 outfit for the season. After moving to Anfield, the Belgian struggled to nail down a place in the side and had another temporary stint at VfL Wolfsburg in 2017/18, where he had a middling stint.
Back at Liverpool, Origi became a cult hero among the Kop the next season for his contributions in the UEFA Champions League triumph, particularly in THAT comeback win against Barcelona. On the back of that, the 26-year-old was handed a new contract, but he has failed to kick on and has remained on the fringes of Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Indeed, Origi featured just nine times in the Premier League last season (two starts). With Liverpool looking to generate funds to invest within the squad, the Belgian international is among those who are likely to be shown the exit doors along with fellow attacker Xherdan Shaqiri.
Wolves seem to have registered an interest in the 26-year-old forward. The Midlands outfit struggled with the lack of a natural goalscorer last season after Raul Jimenez’s horrible injury. Young Fabio Silva showed some positive signs but is still not accomplished enough to lead the line on a weekly basis.
So, even though Jimenez has returned to action, it makes sense for Bruno Lage & co. to bolster their attacking unit with another centre-forward. And, Origi, despite having been unable to establish himself at Liverpool, would represent a good addition given his age and the exposure to English football that he has had.
To that end, Wolves, as per the update from Konur, have launched an offer of £10 million for Origi. However, Liverpool will likely knock that back as they hold out for a transfer fee of £20 million for the Belgian international.
With his contract expiring in less than a year, this transfer window represents the Merseysiders’ last chance to get a transfer fee for Origi, or they could lose him for nothing next summer. It now remains to be seen if Wolves are willing to match Liverpool’s valuation or whether the two clubs settle on a middle ground.
