As AC Milan close in on the signing of Divock Origi following his release from Liverpool, there are arguably both pros and cons to the swoop for the Belgian forward.
According to MilanNews, the 27-year-old will arrive in Milan next week to complete the formalities of his switch to the Rossoneri as he looks set to become our first summer signing.
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It promises to be a busy summer for Milan as we look to build on our Scudetto success last year and not only defend our domestic crown, but take a step forward in Europe too and show an ability to compete in the Champions League against top-level opposition.
In order to do that, we must recruit well and bring in smart reinforcements, and it appears as though Origi will be the first to arrive to tick those boxes.
Origi a useful addition for Pioli, but Milan need more elite quality
Particularly given it’s a free transfer, Origi is a sensible signing from Milan as he importantly offers a different dynamic and type of option up front with his movement, pace and ability to stretch defences.
Milan have two figure-head type forwards in Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic currently who can act as target men, to provide a physical and aerial presence while leading the line and bringing others into play more directly.
In contrast, Origi can use his attributes to create space and openings for others in different areas of the pitch, and doesn’t give the opposition a focal point to focus their attention on, thus making us less predictable.
With 41 goals and 18 assists in 175 appearances for Liverpool, Origi isn’t the prolific frontman that we crave. He has a welcome habit of scoring important goals and was a valued member of Jurgen Klopp’s squad, and it’s important to note that he was largely a fringe player throughout his time at Anfield and so his numbers aren’t perhaps a fair reflection of the talent that he possesses.
Nevertheless, while it’s a useful addition for Stefano Pioli and one that gives us depth and competition as we look to compete on multiple fronts next season, Milan need more this summer.
Despite our success in Serie A, we as fans often bemoaned the lack of quality and creativity in the side in the final third, and if we are to take that next step to fend off our domestic rivals and take on Europe’s best, we need to bring in more difference-makers and elite-level players to complement what we have.