Divock Origi was conspicuous by his absence for Liverpool in midweek.
Liverpool put one foot into the semi-final of the Champions League with a 3-1 victory away to Benfica.
Origi, however, was not in the first XI or the squad in general.
And considering the rumours about an imminent move to AC Milan, well perhaps Reds manager Jurgen Klopp is now planning for a future without the Belgian hitman.
The 26-year-old is poised to join the Italian outfit on a Bosman this summer, upon the expiration of his contract at Anfield.
Asked whether it’s a good move, former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez backed the transfer, pointing to Origi’s ‘unquestionable talent’.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport: “Yes, also because the player’s talent is unquestionable, he has excellent potential. The biggest unknowns are always related to the speed of adaptation.”
Origi doesn’t really have ‘unquestionable’ ability like Benitez believes.
The Liverpool striker is certainly a good player, but it certainly isn’t a foregone conclusion that he’s going to excel in Italian football.
Across 105 Premier League appearances, Origi has managed only 21 goals.
It isn’t a glowing return and does illustrate that Origi isn’t the ‘unquestionably’ lethal striker that the Spanish manager believes.
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