Liverpool Football Club is set to add another striker as they prepare for the departure of Luis Suarez. The Reds have already signed the veteran, Rickie Lambert to help Daniel Sturridge and company up front.
Now BBC Sport is reporting the deal with Divock Origi is a done deal, amounting about £10 million for the 19-year-old. However, Origi has backed up, and asked for a few days to make his decision, which has allowed Borussia Dortmund to enter the talks, possibly landing the youngster.
Origi, a 6 foot 1 inch forward, made a splash at the World Cup as he helped his Belgian squad to reach the quarterfinals, before losing to Argentina 1-nil. He had one goal against Russia and made numerous plays that brought you to your feet.
The Argentina game brought to light the problems of Origi. Most of the negative comments surrounding Origi claim he is not an everyday player and he floats in and out of games. While playing on loan with Lille, in France, last year, he had droughts of five games and fifteen games without scoring a goal. One goal in five World Cup games is not something that jumps off the page, either. He seemed to resort to that style against Argentina. Origi looked like he was more interested at containing Argentine defenders from counter attacks, rather than attacking and creating chances.
Reds manager, Brendan Rodgers, is more optimistic with the potential of the young, powerful forward, rather than worry about the negatives. Origi is only 19 and the future is bright. He is capable right away, but would also benefit from the tutoring of Sturridge, Lambert, and Steven Gerrard.
Rodgers has proven he can handle top talent and push them to new limits. He turned Luis Suarez into a calmer man and got him to harness his emotions. He pulled Sturridge out of multiple funks and molded him into a consistent factor that other teams must always account for.
Origi would help the squad out immensely. He will provide a youthful energy as this team gets older. He is a player that is not afraid to go shoulder-to-shoulder and bump and run with opponents, but still has good speed. Origi has shown he likes to attack up the middle, which is different from Suarez and Sturridge, but he should be able to switch to a role on the flanks rather easily. Sturridge and Origi would be a fearsome duo for years to come.
It appears the two clubs have come to terms on the deal, with Liverpool sending Lille £9.8 million. Now, the forward needs to come to terms with his deal, but with Borussia Dortmund now entering the mix, there is a chance Liverpool might miss out on Origi.
