Liverpool target Divock Origi showed the world exactly why he’s attracting so much attention as Belgium moved on to the next round of the World Cup with a 2-1 win in extra time against the United States on Tuesday. Although there’s increased speculation surrounding his future, one of Lille’s biggest sponsors thinks he’ll stay put in Ligue One next season — though they’re making no assurances that he won’t be on loan from another club.
When asked whether or not the highly rated 19-year old will be at the French club next season, Marc Coucke, president of Omega Pharma, replied with a emphatic “99% sure yes.” The Belgian pharmaceutical company, which owns Ettix — Lille’s shirt sponsor for the 2014/2015 season — wasn’t pulling any punches when it comes to the World Cup stars future, even going so far as to say that having a Red Devils star on the roster was one of the key components of their sponsorship deal.
“We are now there the main sponsor, and we have discussed such things, of course” he is quoted as saying in Belgian media outlet Nieuwsblade. “Lille is close to the Belgian border, there are many Belgians looking, (so) then the presence of a Red Devil is a magnificent asset.”
Liverpool have been linked with a move for Origi and appear to be the front-runners for his signature with a clause in the deal seeing the Anfield outfit immediately loan the striker back to the Ligue One side — something that Coucke seems to allude to. “It is absolutely not sure if next year he owned Lille. But in all the discussions (it is mentioned) so that he certainly plays for Lille another year” he explained. “It is not about ownership, it’s about where he plays. I say 99% chance that he will play next season at Lille.”
The Reds are rumoured to put a bid of between £6mil – £10mil on the table for French side to consider, but with Belgium progressing to the Quarter-Finals of the World Cup, they could very well hold out for more depending on how far the Red Devils go and what role Origi plays in it.
