Everton cannot be ruled out of signing former Liverpool striker Divock Origi, as per Calciomercato.it.
What’s the latest on Everton’s interest in Origi?
The Merseyside outfit are on the hunt for a striker and the Belgian cannot be ruled out.
The Toffees may face some competition for the 27-year-old though, as West Ham United, Leeds United, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace all approached him before he signed for AC Milan.
Elsewhere, the striker also has an interest in Turkey, particularly from Galatasaray.
Would Origi be a good signing for Everton?
Sean Dyche’s desperate search for a striker sees them weighing up the former Liverpool player.
Once described as a “legend on and off the pitch” by Jurgen Klopp, a move to Everton is sure to diminish any relationship that the Liverpool faithful still have with Origi.
This season, the 27-year-old has been poor for Milan, as he has only scored two goals in 20 Serie A appearances and has zero goals across five substitute appearances in the Champions League.
The Ostend-born striker has an average match rating of 6.35 according to WhoScored, which places him 25th out of the Rossoneri’s squad. According to the report, he has fallen behind Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the hierarchy of the squad and is unlikely to improve this position.
However, Origi’s Liverpool statistics may provide a reason why the Toffees should pursue him.
When in the Premier League, the €8m-rated (£7m) striker has had a goals per 90 minutes ratio of 0.68, 0.43, 0.73 and 0.50, as per FBref.
While these statistics come from the fact that he had few minutes for Liverpool (in only two seasons did he have over 1000 minutes played), it demonstrates the impact that the former VFL Wolfsburg loanee can have on a side.
The Merseyside club’s current financial fair play (FFP) investigation means that it is unlikely that they will be able to afford a huge fee for their replacement striker. Fortunately for the club, it is doubtful that the 27-year-old will be too expensive.
Dyche is not blessed with options in attack – it is why Demarai Gray has been featured leading the Everton line – but a combination of Origi and Dominic Calvert-Lewin would provide the Toffees with a stable frontline.
The Belgium international would be an upgrade on their current crop of players and has a knack for finding himself in the right positions at the right times. While it hasn’t quite worked out in Italy, a move back to the Premier League would suit Origi.