Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is surprised that no clubs made any attempts to sign Divock Origi in the summer.
Speaking to BT Sport recently, Jurgen Klopp has offered his thoughts on Divock Origi and how no club showed any interest in snapping up the Liverpool forward during the summer transfer window. He went on to praise the Belgian and insists he is happy to have him as part of his first team for the new season.
Klopp’s comments came just after Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League win over AC Milan, where Jordan Henderson’s late strike helped them secure all three points in a high-octane encounter. Origi was one of the noted starters in the game, surprisingly getting the nod ahead of Sadio Mane – a decision that surprised many fans.
The decision somewhat paid off when Origi produced an excellent assist for Mohamed Salah’s equaliser, with a dinked pass over the Milan defence. Unfortunately, his night was cut short after an injury that forced him off around the hour mark.
Klopp, though, made no hesitation in praising the former VfL Wolfsburg attacker for his performance. In a post-match interview, as cited by Goal, the German tactician stated: “People forget how good he is.”
“It’s difficult to get in this team. In the summer transfer window, we all thought there would be a proper offer, but obviously, people don’t watch football enough! Div is a sensational striker and did really well today,” he added.
It is no secret that Divock Origi had found himself on Liverpool’s chopping block in the summer. He was even linked with a move to Crystal Palace, Wolves and West Ham at one point, but a move never really materialised as neither of the clubs were serious enough.
Klopp then went on to explain his decision to start with the Belgian. “It’s difficult to tell everyone warming up tonight why they aren’t playing. But we need to be sensible. Players are coming back from injuries. [Naby] Keita started, [Jordan] Henderson played a super game, Fabinho too. Origi? An outstanding striker. He did well tonight.”
It appears unlikely that Origi will start too many matches for Liverpool during the first half of the campaign. But his performance will certainly alert a few clubs in Europe, with Fenerbahce even being linked with the forward earlier this month.
