Lille boss Rene Girard has indicated that signing for Liverpool in the summer has affected Divock Origi's performances this season and he feels it is tough to manage the situation around the Belgian as a result.
The Reds agreed a deal with Lille to secure the signature of the young Belgian striker last summer and immediately loaned him back to the French side for the rest of the season as part of the agreement.
However, given the performance of their strikers, allied to injury issues, Liverpool tried to take Origi to Anfield in the winter window, a fact confirmed by their manager Brendan Rodgers last month.
Though they ultimately failed in their endeavour, Girard has indicated that certain fact of an impending move has affected the young striker’s performances this season.
He admits that it has not been easy to manage Origi, but said that they held on to him because the club need him until the end of the season, defending the striker and offering reason for him not meeting expectations.
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“Divock Origi is a young player”, Girard said in a press conference.
“Him signing for Liverpool has been a drag [on his performances] from the start.
“It's not easy to manage. But we need him.”
The 19-year-old striker has managed to score just four goals for Lille in 31 appearances in all competitions this season. He made a big impression at last summer's World Cup with Belgium and was expected to be a key man for the Ligue 1 side in the present campaign.
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