Tottenham Hotspur were interested in signing Liverpool striker Divock Origi on loan this summer, only for the Reds to resist a move for the player. Reports from The Liverpool Echo claim that Spurs were interested in bringing the out-of-favor Reds striker to the White Hart Lane (or should we say Wembley for this season?).
The Belgian moved to Liverpool in the summer of 2015 from Lille and has scored 21 goals in 77 matches for the Anfield outfit. However, he wasn’t able to command a starting place in the team, with most of his appearances coming in cup competitions.
The arrival of Jurgen Klopp didn’t change his fortunes and he moved further down the pecking order this summer with Liverpool signing Dominic Solanke. With Daniel Sturridge returning from injury, the chances of Origi getting more game time were minimal.
That prompted the player to look for a loan move and Spurs led the list of potential suitors. Even Newcastle United wanted to take the player, as Rafael Benitez was keen to utilise his Liverpool connections to seal a move.
Other clubs interested to sign him included Marseille, Bayer Leverkusen, and Werder Bremen. However, it was Wolfsburg who presented the best offer of £6m loan fee.
However, the Reds were not keen on letting Origi join a Premier League side, let alone a title rival. That prompted Origi to choose German club Wolfsburg in a season-long loan deal, in a bid to regain his confidence. The player feels that he has a lot to achieve at Liverpool and is keen on returning to Anfield next season and proving his worth.
Mauricio Pochettino was looking for a backup striker to go with the goals of Harry Kane. Traditionally, Spurs have struggled whenever Kane has been injured or benched for some rest. With a conjested fixture list, the Argentine manager was looking for an able second-choice.
Origi fitted the bill perfectly but sadly Liverpool didn’t want to strengthen Spurs. The Lilywhites did eventually sign Fernando Llorente from Swansea City, who is not bad an option. It is indeed bad luck for Origi, who missed the chance of resurrecting his career under Pochettino!
