Liverpool must keep Divock Origi over Rhian Brewster this season.
Brewster has had an excellent preseason, scoring three goals and looking every inch the instinctive finisher we thought he was based on those performances for Swansea City.
Origi has endured one of his worst seasons for Liverpool and has gone backwards in the eyes of many fans.
So what’s the problem here?
On the face of it, the obvious solution would be to swap one for the other, find a buyer for the Belgian and bring the Academy graduate into the fold. But that would be wrong.
Jurgen Klopp should play the long game with this one, send Rhian Brewster back on loan and trust Divock Origi to get over his poor form and play an important role in 2020/2021.
The youngster is 20-years-old now and would be better served continuing his development by playing regular football. This’ll keep him sharp and satisfy that hunger for minutes, which was a large part of the reason he decided to sign professional terms with Liverpool.
Klopp also has more cover in the areas Origi has traditionally made his own. Curtis Jones can play out left, Takumi Minamino can operate through the middle or on the right and that has seen Origi’s game time cut – especially after the restart.
What do you think the club should do reds? Sell Origi, loan Brewster, or both? Don’t forget you can find all the latest transfer news and rumours right here on Rush The Kop as well!
There’s no assurances that Brewster would be able to lay claim to the role as Roberto Firmino’s understudy or make his mark in the Premier League.
There’s no real side in the top flight that can offer an introduction to the highest level without putting any pressure on the youngster, but there are sides who can offer *less* pressure than a broiling Anfield, a title chase and a team looking to win every single point.
Origi has proven himself in these big moments.
There’s no other thing to consider as well: the financial landscape. COVID-19 has ripped the bottom off the transfer market, if the club wait a year to sell Origi they could recoup more than they would this window.
He’s only a year into a five-year deal, so there’s no pressure on the Reds in that sense.
Let’s play smart and play long with Brewster’s development. Let’s not overhype him and let’s allow him to become the player he’s got the potential to be before we throw him into the Liverpool side.