Divock Origi is eager to link up with Liverpool sooner rather than later, and hopes to arrive on Merseyside for the second half of the season.
Brendan Rodgers spent £9.8million on the striker during the summer window, having been impressed with his performances for Belgium at the World Cup Finals. But rather than add him to his first-team squad this season, the Reds head coach was happy to let the 19-year-old remain in France and continue his footballing education at Lille, where he has been since 2010.
Origi has scored three times in 11 appearances for the Ligue 1 side this term, as he looks certain to better his tally of five in 30 last time round. However, the teenager may not stick around at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy for as long as was initially anticipated, after he revealed he now hopes to link up with his parent club when the transfer window reopens in the New Year.
“Maybe January, who knows?,” said Origi about his arrival on Merseyside. “It is not me who makes the decisions but if the club choose to let me go in January I would go. I would like to join Liverpool then. I said that I would stay for the whole season and I will remain honourable, but if there was a decision by the clubs, I would not say that I would not like to go to Liverpool in January.
“Brendan Rodgers is in contact regularly. That makes me feel very good and wanted. And although I agreed to stay with Lille until the end of this season, if there was a chance of joining Liverpool sooner I would take it. I would love to move to Liverpool sooner rather than later. I am here at Lille, it is fine, they are a good club and they have helped me. But it is also frustrating. It is French football. I can’t wait to be playing in the Premier League because I can now see that it will suit me better.”
If Rodgers is given the opportunity to take Origi sooner than expected, it would be surprising if he declined. Since the departure of Luis Suarez to Barcelona, his side have struggled when it comes to hitting the back of the net. They have scored exactly half of the 28 league goals registered by leaders Chelsea, and Raheem Sterling, the England midfielder, is their leading marksman with three whilst strike trio Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert are yet to open their accounts.
The return to Daniel Sturridge, who scored 22 goals in 29 matches last season, is sure to boost their goals-for column. However, as excellent as the former Manchester City youngster is, he also has a track record of injuries. Origi would provide the Reds with another option to their attack, and having shown he can perform in the World Cup, he could well prove to have Premier League quality.
