The Belgium international was on the verge of leaving Anfield but his decision to stay saw him score vital goals en route to Champions League glory
Divock Origi has said a gut feeling caused him to turn down a move to Wolves in January of last year to stay and fight for his Liverpool place.
The decision paid dividends for the Belgium international striker who scored two goals against Barcelona in Liverpool’s historic come from behind win in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final.
Origi inspired the Reds to a 4-0 win in that game, overcoming a 3-0 first leg deficit and then scored the second goal in the ensuing final against Tottenham, helping his team lift the trophy at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid.
His late-season heroics were a reward for his patience after not even making the match day squad until October.
“It was a gut feeling,” Origi told the press when asked why he’d decided to stay.
“For me I just sat down and I felt like I wanted to stay and help this team. I felt good, I just had to keep performing in training and I knew my chance would come.
“I felt like we could do something special. I just had to block everything out and focus on the right things. In football you never know 100 per cent, it could have gone another way but that’s the choice I made.”
Origi also scored vital goals in the Premier League. Late winners against Everton and Newcastle were vital in leading Liverpool to 97 points in a season in which they only tasted defeat once.
Origi was rewarded with a new long-term contract at the club, and he said he was looking forward to the new season as his team look to overhaul Manchester City who pipped them to the Premier League title by just one point.
“It’s a lot to happen in a year,” the 24-year-old continued.
“And that’s the beauty of football. You can see that I am back focusing on performing.
“Has Madrid changed the direction of my career? Yes definitely, it was a great experience. Winning the Champions League is a boy’s dream so it changes a lot in a player’s career.
“I am trying to be as fit as possible and just perform. I feel positive, I feel good, there is a high vibration going around Liverpool and I think we need to use it in a good way.
“There might be some difficult moments in the future, as there might be some good moments, I am just preparing for the best.”
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