One name that will be on the lips of a few Premier League managers after a few notable performances is Lille’s Divock Origi, the 19 year old who very few would have heard of prior to these World Cup finals. Origi scored Belgium’s winner in their second group game against Russia which as good as guaranteed them safe passage to the Second round. He has caught the eye of several Premier League managers and has already been linked with moves to Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks, he would be a good fit for both clubs as they look to bolster their squads ahead of the new campaign.
WHAT DOES ORIGI OFFER?
Origi is a very direct forward who combines strength and pace to great effect and has won many plaudits in Ligue 1 for his displays last season. He is raw much like Belgian compatriot Romelu Lukaku who himself has enjoyed the opportunity of game time while on loan at Everton and some expect Origi to follow in the Chelsea player’s footsteps.
He has been used sparingly by his club Lille in a 4-3-3 system being mostly deployed in wide areas but with his 6ft 1 inch frame it is a sure thing that he could definitely be used through the middle.
WEAKNESSES
His main weakness would be his decision making he does have a tendency to take on too much, that is not to say that he does not have real ability but he does. With the right coaching he can be very dangerous indeed but at the moment he is raw and has a lot to learn about ball retention but being so young he has time on his side.
DOES HE HAVE PREMIER LEAGUE QUALITY?
Origi possesses the strength, speed and creativity to be a success and contend with the hustle and bustle of the Premier League. The 19 year old was the only under 21 year old to score 5 or more goals in Ligue 1 last season which goes a long way in showing his promise. usually with these deals the player would be loaned back to the club for one more year to get a constant run of games. I would not be surprised if the same occurred here. it is expected that a fee of around £10 million would be enough to secure the player’s signature. it would be a risk to pay that for a 19 year old in most cases but early signs suggest Origi is a real talent. Whoever takes a risk could have a real player on their hands.