Liverpool have decided to keep hold of Divock Origi until the end of the season, according to football reporter Kristof Terreur.
The Belgian was being tracked by the likes of West Ham, Crystal Palace and Fulham (h/t Daily Star) but the Reds have had a chance of heart and will not sell him in the January window.
The report adds that the player is out of contract in 2020 and Origi has come to our rescue this season. The 23-year-old has seen limited starts this season but scored the winner in the Merseyside derby in the final seconds of the game.
Origi has had his injury problems and his loan spell at Wolfsburg didn’t go well. The Belgian was a late substitute in our 1-0 win over Brighton on Saturday, and keeping the striker is the best decision at the moment.
He didn’t want to leave in January. Now Liverpool have decided that Divock Origi isn’t for sale anymore. Change of heart. They will keep him until the end of the season. #lfc pic.twitter.com/D2ZgZv16Bv
— Kristof Terreur 📰🎥 (@HLNinEngeland) January 11, 2019
Although Origi will find it hard to start ahead of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Daniel Sturridge, we need to keep our options for the remainder of the campaign.
The Reds faced a mini-crisis regarding our defenders with Joel Matip and Joe Gomez picking up fractures in December.
That resulted in Fabinho deputising as a central defender in the games against Wolves and Brighton. Liverpool also sold Dominic Solanke to Bournemouth, and we are thin on senior strikers.
Read more: Out-of-favour Liverpool defender set for exit after failed contract extension talks
Should there be some injuries to our stars, we need experienced players to step-up and Origi provides us with a different element in the attack.