"Will leave Liverpool.." - Romano drops transfer update that'll have supporters gutted - opinion

Liverpool are set for a disaster if £10.8m-rated striker Divock Origi departs the club for free when his contract expires this summer.

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Reds star is set to leave Anfield when his contract expires in June and AC Milan are the club leading the race to sign him.

He’s been used off the bench by Klopp many times during his tenure and has become a fan favourite at the club, with his boss even calling him a “legend”. He’s more of an important player to the squad than you might initially think so it’s important they do all they can to keep him.

One thing that Liverpool have had more of this season is squad depth, and when they are challenging on all fronts being able to rely on this and field different options is crucial.

That’s why Origi is a player who matters so much to their success, not only does he have a proven track record of coming off the bench and making an impact in games, but he also offers something very different up top from the other strikers at the club.

The 27-year old arrived from French club Lille in 2014 for £11.4m and is the second longest-serving player at the club currently, behind only the captain Jordan Henderson. He’s made 173 appearances in that time and been directly involved in 58 goals, his biggest coming in the 2019 Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur.

Because of this impact in big games, to see him leave on a free transfer would be a blow and it would also leave Klopp in a desperate search for a replacement.

His longevity is one of the things that has earnt him legendary status at Anfield, he proved key when he came on yesterday for their Merseyside derby victory over Everton, scoring the second goal. This took him six league goals