Liverpool’s injured striker Divock Origi is still expected to miss the rest of our season, but reports today suggest he’ll be fit for Euro 2016 with Belgium.
The forward was cruelly hacked down by Everton’s Ramiro Funes Mori during the Merseyside Derby thrashing we handed out, but Belgian journalist Kristoff Terreur, always first to news on his countrymen, says surgery won’t be necessary.
No surgery for Divock Origi. Player will be out for 3-4 weeks & will be fit in time for the Euros. #lfc pic.twitter.com/fKvXIweyDH
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) April 28, 2016
Only one of the ankle ligaments is ruptured, second one is fine.
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) April 28, 2016
If he exceeded expectations there’s a very outside chance he could be fit for the Europa League Final on May 18, but it’s unlikely Klopp will throw him into such a game without adequate training, providing we even get there.
The 21-year-old had been in blistering form when injury struck, racking up eleven goals in total this season – many of which came during an excellent recent spell.
So well was he playing in fact, Daniel Sturridge had to settle for a place on the bench behind him, but will now lead our line from now until the end of the season in his team-mate’s absence.
The fresh news on Origi’s injury makes little difference to our season, but will be a timely boost for the player. From a selfish point of view, it might have been better for Origi to miss the Euros and return to pre-season earlier and healthier – but we can’t begrudge the forward a major international tournament appearance.
In 2014 at the World Cup of course he made his name, earning a transfer to Liverpool afterwards.