According to stories from both the Chronicle and the Northern Echo this morning, Rafa Benitez is now eyeing a loan deal to bring Liverpool striker Divock Origi to St James’ Park.
Benitez made a move to sign the 23-year-old in the final few days of last summer’s transfer window, and it sounds like we may be about to reignite our interest, with Lee Ryder confirming that he’s now ‘on Newcastle’s radar again’.
The striker is highly rated by several Liverpool fans – with quite a few hoping to see him given a chance to impress over pre-season – however his career has stalled a little bit over the past 12 months.
He spent last season on loan in Germany with Wolfsburg but only managed 7 goals – with the Bundesliga side narrowly avoiding relegation in 16th place – however he’s often found the net for Liverpool when he’s been given a chance, scoring 11 in 2016/17 and 10 in 2015/16 despite most of his appearances coming from the bench.
The Belgian is now back at Liverpool and it sounds like he’ll be sent out on loan once again this summer.
Here’s a snippet from the Northern Echo, with Scott Wilson confirming our interest – with Benitez said to prefer a move for Origi over one for the injury-ravaged Danny Ings:
‘Origi is another loan target, with Liverpool keen to overhaul their attacking department before the transfer window closes on August 9.
‘The Reds have made Danny Ings available for transfer, but despite Newcastle having coveted the former Burnley striker for a number of years, the Magpies will not be meeting Liverpool’s £20m asking price for the injury-plagued frontman.
‘They are more interested in Origi, with Liverpool understood to be willing to consider a loan deal for the Belgian, who has struggled to make much of an impression at Anfield following his £10m switch from Lille.’
It sounds like he struggled a little last season and he is a player who is still a little raw and unrefined, however I could see him being a very handy signing – and someone who could thrive under Benitez’s watchful eye.
He’s tall, powerful, has decent pace and is a hard worker from what I’ve seen, so he could fit into Benitez’s high energy, counter attacking system very well. The big question is how many goals would he score?
It’d be a risk if we were left relying on him but personally, I’d be all for this and could see it happening – however it may only make sense if another slightly more prove/senior striker arrived alongside him.
Why loans
Jack(Quote)
why loans jack? because mike ashley aint guna spend **** on any mofo! he lines his pockets every year selling our best players and replacing with freebees its time some 1 put him out his misery the dirty nonce that he is
lick my ball sack ashley(Quote)