Liverpool icon ‘struggling’ after Anfield exit as director admits disappointment

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AC Milan director Paolo Maldini insists that Divock Origi still has ‘everything to be a great striker’ despite the former Liverpool man’s ‘struggles’ since swapping the Premier League for Serie A. 

If you were wondering why the Rossoneri have fallen so far domestically since last term’s Scudetto triumph, you only need to look at their recruitment during the summer of 2022.

Aster Vranckx and Alessandro Florenzi have barely kicked a ball under Stefano Pioli. Charles de Ketelaere, AC Milan’s £30 million marquee signing, has not scored a single goal. 

And while Divock Origi has at least opened his account, a tally of two in 34 games across all competitions is not exactly the return Maldini had in mind when he snapped up the Belgium international on a free transfer from Anfield. 

The Milan legend-turned-director is not giving up on the 2019 Champions League winner just yet, however.

Can former Liverpool striker Divock Origi save his Milan career?

“He has everything to be a great striker,” Maldini tells Canale 5 on Mediaset. 

“He has pace, shooting and technique, but it’s true that he struggles to score in front of goal. Honestly, we expect so much from him.

“He joined us as a free agent, but we made a big investment in terms of salary. Seeing him in training, we know what he can bring us. He’s an experienced player, but he hasn’t given us what we expected. We signed him to be a replacement for (Olivier) Giroud.”

That Giroud, 37 in September, remains Pioli’s go-to centre-forward is not exactly a particularly flattering assessment of Origi’s impact at the San Siro. Or a lack thereof.

The former Wolfsburg and Lille frontman only played 34 minutes across both legs of Milan’s 3-0 Champions League semi-final defeat to bitter rivals Inter too, the Nerazzuri setting up a final meeting with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in Istanbul in June. 

“I mean, seriously?! What is wrong with this guy?!” Liverpool legend Steve Nicol told ESPN of Origi recently, pointing out that the striker merely swapped one substitute’s bench for another back in 2022. 

“Does he just like being on the bench everywhere he goes? He’s on the bench for Belgium, he’s on the bench for Liverpool and now he’s on the bench for Milan. Does he just like being on the bench?!”