The summer transfer window might have closed for English clubs, but there’s still a handful of European sides who are able to conduct some business over the next few days.
What’s the story?
One of the leagues still able to buy and sell is the Turkish Super Lig, and recent reports claimed that Fenerbahce were interested in securing the services of Liverpool striker Divock Origi.
The Belgium international has been linked with a move away from Anfield in recent months, but PA Media sports reporter Carl Markham has revealed that the 26-year-old is set to stay put on Merseyside for now.
He tweeted: “Contrary to reports in Turkey @LFC have had no approaches – from anyone – for Divock Origi”.
Should Liverpool sell Origi in January?
Yes, definitely!
No way!
Jurgen Klopp will be gutted
Although losing Origi without being able to bring in a replacement would have left Reds manager Jurgen Klopp short of options in the final third of the pitch, he may still be gutted that a sale could not be secured.
The 19-time English champions were working with a limited budget over the summer and were only able to bring former RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate as a result.
Several fringe players such as Xherdan Shaqiri, Harry Wilson and Marko Grujic departed Liverpool, duly raising substantial funds for the club, but director of football Michael Edwards was either unable or unwilling to bring in further reinforcements with the money those sales generated.
However, selling the £10.8m-rated Origi may have topped up the club’s coffers enough for Klopp to secure his top targets in January, while Diogo Jota and Takumi Minamino provided cover and competition for the famed front three.
Instead, Origi faces another few months warming the Liverpool bench as the club’s hierarchy watch his market value plummet even further, a situation that both parties would surely rather have avoided. A return of one goal in all competitions last season illustrated just how much his stock has fallen since his glorious 2019.
It remains to be seen whether the former Lille hitman eventually departs over the remaining months of 2021, but Klopp will certainly be looking for a solution to the Belgian’s prolonged Anfield struggle.
In other news… Edwards can redeem himself at Liverpool with January move for “devastating” maestro