Liverpool
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Things have not gone down well for one former Liverpool favourite as he battles rejection at his current club while insisting on not leaving.
Several players have enjoyed hero status at Liverpool in the last few years under Jurgen Klopp. A player like Lucas Leiva, who was already at the club before the German, was a favourite among the fans during his years at the club.
Known for his professionalism and commitment to the Liverpool cause, Leiva continues to enjoy a good relationship with the club faithful.
Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, and Joel Matip were also well-loved at the club before they left.
But one player who many Liverpool fans universally loved for his ability to perform in big games was Divock Origi. The Belgian was a definition of a proper ‘cult hero’ turning up in important games with important goals.
He was often a torn in the flesh of Everton players, turning up in many Merseyside Derbies. He also played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s run to lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2019, scoring a crucial brace in the semi-final against Barcelona as well as in the final.
Jurgen Klopp called him he legend of the club, stating in 2022;
“He [Origi] is a legend on and off the pitch. Fantastic footballer, a world-class striker and is our best finisher. Everyone would say the same. You see this in training. It is a really hard decision to make to leave him out. Everyone loves Divock here.”
After making 175 appearances for the club, Origi left on a free transfer to join AC Milan despite being beloved by the Kop.
However, things haven’t gone very well for the 29-year-old since he left Liverpool and he has not featured for the Italian giants since 2023.
According to the latest report from Italy, he is refusing to leave San Siro despite their wishes.
CalcioMercato claim that Milan has offered Origi several options to move away from the Serie A club, including a loan deal and a chance to terminate his contract.
However, the Belgian reportedly insists on running down his deal, which is set to expire in June 2026.
“The club on Viale Aldo Rossi had tried to propose him to various teams in the last transfer sessions, in Italy and abroad, but only receiving noes from the Belgian who continued to be appreciated in Turkey and Saudi Arabia,” the report said.
The report added that Origi, who continues to train away from the first team, has also rejected all of Milan’s attempts to terminate his lucrative €4-million-a-year deal
“All of Milan’s attempts to reach a contractual termination had also been rejected: none of them had convinced the player who – and it is worth remembering – earns 4 million euros net per year, more than 300,000 euros per month,” the report said.
“This is a figure that is obviously guaranteed to him even now that he is out of the squad , that he trains alone and that does not fit in at all with the plans of the club that has never bet on him since he returned from the Premier League.
“The player is separated at home; he does not work with his teammates, he has also been away from Milan, and, in agreement with the club, he has trained in various cities with a personal trainer in order not to leave the country and lose his right to avail himself of the growth decree.”
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