Liverpool ace held talks to replace £33m Newcastle target, now deal’s off

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Divock Origi is set to leave Premier League giants Liverpool for Serie A challengers AC Milan but only after holding talks with Atalanta, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb. 

One of the worst kept secrets in European football is about to become common knowledge. And, no we’re not referring to the fact that Granit Xhaka’s new-found role at is going to cost Arsenal a place in the Champions League. 

Divock Origi’s Liverpool contract expires in July. 

And he’ll be plying his trade, come 2022/23, for a side he scored the winner against back in December at the San Siro.

Origi has already reached an agreement with AC Milan over an initial three-year deal worth £3 million-a-year. Or £55,000-a-week, if you prefer. 

It may have taken longer that it was supposed too – some reports suggested that Origi may have been officially confirmed as a Rossoneri player at the end of March – but now it seems that there’s nothing standing in Milan’s way.

And that includes their Serie A rivals. 

Is Divock Origi about to become an AC Milan player?

According to TMW, Inter and Juventus have already decided against making rival offers for Liverpool’s man-for-the-big-occasion. A potential move to Torino fell through.

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini held talks with Origi when it seemed that Duvan Zapata was heading for the exit but the powerhouse Colombian is now expected to stay put in Bergamo, removing the need for a new number nine.

Newcastle agreed terms with Zapata over a £100,000-a-week deal in January.

Atalanta were less enamoured, however, about a deal that would have seen the £33 million-rated former Napoli man move to St James’ Park on initial loan deal. 

Zapata also came within touching distance of a deadline-day move to West Ham.

According to Sky Sports, the Hammers submitted their paperwork to the Premier League but ran out of time as the window slammed shut on David Moyes’ fingers.

It seems unlikely that Origi’s impending switch to the San Siro will be quite so frantic. In fact, it could even be announced before the season is over.