Liverpool Football Club are set to bring back on-loan striker Divock Origi this month despite denying last month that they will let him complete the one-year loan spell at Lille.
In December, reports had emerged that Liverpool could recall Origi after having a disastrous league campaign where their strikers have failed to produce the goals so far. However, the Merseysiders went on to quash such rumors. Now, according to Liverpoolecho, the Reds are willing to pay a fee of A?3m in order to get back their striker earlier than scheduled.
The Liverpool striker force have struggled this season and have scored just two goals between them. Italian duo Mario Balotelli and Fabio Borini are yet to open their account in the Premier League and Daniel Sturridge has appeared in just three games due to a succession of injuries since September. Other summer signing Rickie Lambert has scored once and isn’t a regular starter. Manager Brendan Rodgers has had to reshuffle his attack in order to find the cohesiveness of last season. After the failures of Balotelli and Lambert upfront, he deployed winger Raheem Sterling as a striker and the 20-year old hasn’t disappointed in the new role. The problem is that Sterling’s deployment upfront robs Liverpool of a world class player in the wide areas as Lazar Markovic hasn’t exactly impressed. Adam Lallana has probably been Liverpool’s best signing this season, but playing in three competitions has taken its toll on the Reds who have to rotate their squad on order to keep their players fresh.
Recalling Origi would definitely be a gamble as the Belgian hasn’t been in impressive form off-late. After starting the season well, he hasn’t found the back of the net since October. Rodgers needs a proven goal scorer at the moment, so bringing back Origi, who hasn’t been in good form, and putting him in the team straight away will only increase the pressure on his young shoulders. Rodgers will have a big dilemma as he already has four strikers at the club and one out on loan. He’ll have to sell before he buys anymore with Fabio Borini looking as the player that will be sold.
Rodgers, who has been monitoring Origi, and had revealed earlier, a We believe Divock Origi will be world class. He is a top player. He has everything – the speed, the profile and he could play for Liverpool now.
a He can run in behind, he can keep the ball and he can press,a he added.