Liverpool exploring possibility of recalling on-loan star early

Mario Balotelli’s start to life as an honorary Liverpudlian could have gone better. Having yet to find the net in the Premier League, the Italian striker was dropped to the bench prior to the international break.

With Daniel Sturridge nearing a return to fitness following his ankle injury, the grey clouds over the AC Milan purchase’s head are darkening, and they could turn an apocalyptic black with the latest rumours circling Anfield.

Brendan Rodgers’ desperation to relocate the pace and power that saw his side score over 100 goals in the league last season has the Northern Irishman turning to Divock Origi.

It’s being theorised that Liverpool could bring the brutish Belgian’s loan deal with Lille to a premature end this season, so that they can start to make use of a striker in better form than their current crop.

Having signed Origi from Lille for £10m this summer, Liverpool agreed to let the French club keep the 19-year-old on loan for a further term to aid his development.

Naturally, the 2010/11 Ligue 1 champions were reluctant to let their star man go and if the Reds are insistent on cancelling Origi’s temporary stay at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, then they’ll have to fork out additional coins.

According to the player, who has five goals in 11 appearances for club and country this season, his soon-to-be manager texts him on a regular basis while Liverpool scouts have become familiar faces at Lille matches.

Rodgers himself has hailed the Belgian as a potential world-class striker and with Sturridge, Balotelli and Rickie Lambert yet to impose themselves on the campaign, his keenness to work with Origi sooner rather than later is understandable.

The Reds face a trip to QPR in their first post-break assignment and have been handed 8/13 favouritism to win by Ladbrokes.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

Fancy a flutter? Sign up today to claim up to £100 in free bets.