Fabrizio Romano breaks major news about crucial piece of Liverpool summer business

Fabrizio Romano reports that Liverpool striker Divock Origi is ready to leave the club this summer although he offered little more information than that.

Speaking on his podcast Here We Go (18:47), the Italian journalist said that the Belgian is ready to leave the club after he played virtually no football for Jurgen Klopp's side despite their issues in attack.

This speaks volumes and with Diogo Jota, a wide forward, often preferred over the former Genk man, it's no surprise that he is set to leave the club but his departure confirms Liverpool's need for a new striker.

They struggled a lot this season with regards to being clinical in front of goal, with Salah the only player that was consistently scoring.

The Egyptian scored 22 goals in the Premier League and finished just behind Harry Kane in the race to win the Golden Boot.

If Liverpool hadn't had a defensive injury crisis, they still would have battled to keep up with Man City without regular contributions from Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino

Now, with Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi set to leave this summer, Jurgen Klopp needs a new striker and could arguably do with signing another wide forward.

However, if he can sign someone like Donyell Malen or Patson Daka, players that are able to score bucket loads of goals, Klopp could cope with just five forwards but when Salah and Mane go to AFCON, he will be limited to Jota, Firmino and whoever comes in.

If they get injured, Liverpool could once again capitulate in January so Klopp needs to ensure that the story of the 2021/22 season isn't the same as the 2020/21 campaign which saw the German regret not signing a replacement for the outgoing Dejan Lovren.

Even before AFCON, there are major question marks over Firmino's ability to contribute as the leading man in attack with his attacking output not quite at the levels required of a no.9 in a side looking to win both the Premier League and the Champions League.

With Origi's exit the need to sign a new forward is further exacerbated even if the Belgian hardly contributed.

The only positive about his exit is that, in line with Liverpool's transfer model, they will receive funds and be able to redirect them to a new signing and while a huge fee is not expected for his exit, it will help partially contribute to a new recruit.

Klopp's plans for Harry Wilson are as yet unknown but the expectation is that the Wales international will leave the club permanently while Takumi Minamino is likely to return to Southampton on loan with club talks scheduled for his return from international duty with Japan.

I would like to see Wilson and Minamino given opportunities at the club especially after the former scored a sensational hattrick in the final game of the Championship season, with two free-kicks and one of the best trivelas I've seen.