Divock Origi turned down a move to Villarreal before agreeing to join Serie A champions AC Milan from Premier League giants Liverpool, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport.
It’s strange to think that, even after a decade at Anfield, a truckload of trophies and a hatful of goals that will go down in Liverpool folklore, no one is quite sure just how good Divock Origi really is.
We know all about the striker’s legendary party piece; That unrivalled ability to pop up just when Jurgen Klopp needs him the most, whether that be Merseyside derbies or Champions League finals.
But is Origi capable of breaking the 20-goal barrier at a club willing to turn one of football’s most iconic ‘super-subs’ into a first-choice number nine?
Having agreed a four-year deal with newly-crowned Scudetto winners AC Milan, one of the game’s great mysteries will finally be answered sooner rather than later.
Origi will earn £65,000-a-week at the San Siro over the course of the next four or five years.
And, clearly, the sporting project mattered more to Origi than the size of his contract.
Divock Origi rejects Villarreal for AC Milan
The 27-year-old Belgium international actually turned down a bigger, more lucrative offer from Villarreal. He will instead join Olivier Giroud, Rafael Leao and co at the San Siro.
Villarreal, who lost out to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals, offered Origi around £75,000-a-week over the next four seasons. An eye-watering package that would have set the Castellon club back £15.6 million.
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Villarreal’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League proved to be their undoing, however. Origi has already given his word to a Milan side basking in the picturesque views at the top of the Serie A summit, knocking bitter rivals Inter off the top after a gruelling ten-year climb.
The Rossoneri were crowned Serie A champions for the first time since 2011 after thrashing Sassuolo 3-0 last week.
Origi, meanwhile, has started just five games this season but has still managed to score six goals.
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