By Wayne Veysey

7th Aug, 2021 | 8:00pm

Sources: West Ham open preliminary talks to sign Origi after Liverpool asking price slashed

West Ham have opened preliminary talks to sign Liverpool striker Divock Origi, Football Insider understands.

The Belgium international’s Anfield future is up in the air after a wretched 2020-21 campaign.

A recruitment source has told Football Insider that West Ham head the clubs working on a cut-price raid for Origi.

The forward’s valuation has plummeted even though he signed a long-term contract in the summer of 2019 on the back of his Champions League heroics.

A bid of as little as £15m could be enough to persuade Liverpool to sell ahead of the 31 August cut-off.

The Merseysiders were asking for around £20m for Origi in January but there was no club willing to pay that.

He has three more years remaining on the contract signed two years ago following his remarkable finish to the previous season that established his place in Anfield folklore.

The Champions League and Premier League winner has struggled to hit the same heights since those golden moments.

He scored six goals and supplied four assists from 42 matches in 2019-20 and was then a marginal figure last term.

Origi made just two Premier League starts among 17 appearances, with only 536 minutes of game time.

He was barely trusted despite the scratchy form of the likes of Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino for most of the season.

Origi was particularly affected by the 2020 arrival of Diogo Jota, who was outstanding in his debut campaign.

In other news, West Ham have pulled the plug on transfer after Moyes U-turn.