Noel Whelan

Sun 20 March 2022 7:20, UK

Noel Whelan has tipped Liverpool to offload Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino and sign two new world-class attackers this summer.

The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, suggested Jurgen Klopp will want a striker to complement Luis Diaz up front.

A recruitment source told Football Insider on Saturday (19 March) that Origi, 26, is telling Liverpool he wants to quit the club this summer.

The Belgium international is frustrated being on the fringes of Jurgen Klopp’s squad following Luis Diaz’s arrival.

Meanwhile, speaking to Sky Sports on Wednesday (16 March), Klopp hinted they may also let Minamino, 27, move on at the end of the season.

Whelan suggested the duo’s exit would see Liverpool sign a new striker.

Whelan told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “Divock Origi is obviously going, you’ve got to replace him. There’s one definite that needs to be replaced.

“Minamino, there have been glimpses but he is not consistently in the squad. It doesn’t seem like he can break through into the squad.

“Two definites, for me, that might be on their way. Whether that might be a loan for Minamino with an option to buy at the end of the season.

“They’ve just brought in Diaz but I still think he probably wants another winger to give him that option.

“They’re all about getting players in that fit into the style of play without making too many changes. That’s what they look for, we saw that with Diaz, a player with the potential to be world class.

“Straight away into the side, the style of play suits him down to the ground. They’ve done their homework on him and they know that he can go straight into the Liverpool squad and make a difference.

“I think that’s exactly what they’ll be doing. Do they go out and get that out-and-out striker that they’ve been missing? I think that could happen and it would be incredible.”

In other news, pundit fears “there’s only one outcome” for Mohamed Salah after Liverpool source reveal.