A little while after Liverpool had lifted the Premier League trophy at a near-empty but electrified Anfield in July 2020, ending that 30-year wait for the title, something caught the attention of observers inside the ground. All players and staff had departed down the tunnel before one suddenly reappeared: Divock Origi. He walked towards the centre circle and, amid the ticker tape, put his arms behind his back and fixed his gaze on the Kop. It was a curious sight but also, it felt, a telling one – this was the Belgian’s way of saying goodbye.
If it was goodbye then it was a long one because only now, close to two years later, is Origi leaving Liverpool, the club announcing on Thursday that the striker will depart when his contract expires at the end of the month. Milan, recently crowned Serie A champions, are heavily reported to be his next destination.
