Liverpool Reportedly Complete Striker Signing

After rumbling on for much of the summer, reports out of Belgium suggest Liverpool's chase of Lille striker Divock Origi has been concluded today and that following a Friday medical, the 19-year-old has signed a five-year deal with Liverpool Football Club. Official confirmation of his signing is expected from the club shortly.

Origi will immediately be loaned back to Lille and will report for pre-season training with the French club on Monday. Liverpool fans, many of whom watched him push past Romelu Lukaku on Belgium's depth chart at the World Cup, might have hoped for a change to the deal such that he would not be loaned back.

However, it is believed that the willingness by Liverpool to send Origi back to Lille was seen as a deal breaker for both the player and his current club. And with Liverpool expected to also announce the signing of Loic Remy in the coming days, playing time would have been hard for the Belgian youngster to come by in England.

With all add-ons, Origi's fee could rise to around £10M. Though he won't play a role for the club next season, Origi is an exceptional talent who seems destined to become a star, and he fits Liverpool's move towards the Chelsea approach to buying up Europe's top talent and immediately loaning it out to develop.

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