After a high-profile free transfer to AC Milan in the summer, it has not been a straightforward start to life away from Liverpool for Divock Origi.
Origi ended his seven-year stay at Anfield when he agreed to join Milan on a long-term contract in July, embarking on a new challenge in Serie A.
It has been a tough start for the 27-year-old, though, with injury issues and a struggle for form seeing him drop down the pecking order despite the long-term absence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
So far, the Belgian has played just 14 times for his new club, clocking 502 minutes on the pitch, with his goal and assist against AC Monza still his only contributions.
Olivier Giroud has remained Milan’s first-choice striker, but with France reaching the World Cup final, it was hoped that Origi would be fit to fill in when Serie A resumes at Salernitana on January 4.
But after missing the friendly against Liverpool in Dubai, Origi is now in doubt for the New Year due to an ongoing thigh problem.
And writing for CalcioMercato, Italian journalist Andrea Longoni suggested that “should he not turn around in 2023, Milan could decide to sell him in the summer.”
He explains that Origi’s “umpteenth injury is a problem,” and that “with his experience he should have made a difference right away, but he gets hurt too often.”
Having been brought in on a free, it is argued that a sale in the summer could represent a financial boost for Milan, though it remains to be seen whether they would, in fact, part ways with their No. 27.
The fact that his future is already in question highlights the difficulty Origi has faced not only in terms of his fitness, but also his impact on the pitch.
Of those 14 appearances so far, he has only started four, which is similar to his standing at Liverpool in the final two seasons he spent at Anfield.
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