AC Milan signing Origi discusses leaving Liverpool, Van Basten and speaking Italian | OneFootball

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·6 July 2022

AC Milan signing Origi discusses leaving Liverpool, Van Basten and speaking Italian

Article image:AC Milan signing Origi discusses leaving Liverpool, Van Basten and speaking Italian

Former Liverpool striker Divock Origi is excited to have signed for AC Milan.

Origi has penned a four-year deal and joins Milan on a four-year deal.


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He said, “I prepared myself physically and mentally to be here, to be able to give my all and add to the foundations of this team. The foundations of this team are fantastic, it's great to be able to build something together," Origi said.

“I think I can give a lot: passion, happiness, experience and hopefully also goals and assists. I want to work with my teammates, create a good atmosphere in the group and with my teammates, and then take the field to win because teams like Milan always want to be at the top. And I like these challenges: I'm charged up."

Origi also said: “Arriving here I immediately felt at home. I'm at a club with a great history and now I want to start getting to know its culture, I want to understand the people, how things are here.

“And so far everything has been great. I love football, I am a football fan and here I saw all the enthusiasm that was in the city when I played against AC Milan last season.

“You could feel all the adrenaline of that title race that lasted until the last day, you could feel all the energy that was unleashed after so many years of waiting. You could see both the passion of the city and the quality of this team."

Origi spoke at length on Milan TV after signing his Rossonero contract.

Talking about Serie A:

“It's one of the best leagues in the world. Last year there was a great fight for the title. People here live for football, they love football, it's a passion. Everyone knows the history of this club: 19 championships, 7 Champions Leagues. An incredible, immense history. And if we go back in time there are many players I could name, so being here and being part of this history makes me proud and charged."

On previous Milan strikers:

“I love football. I've seen videos of [Marco] Van Basten on YouTube, his years at AC Milan, his goals. Even if his career was not long, the impact he had, as well as other strikers like Sheva, Inzaghi and Weah, was incredible. They made club history, and I'm not even mentioning half of them. They are icons and I love the idea of being at a club rich in football culture and you can always learn from someone. I like to observe and learn. Now I am here to bring my experience to the team and I hope I can help the team grow and continue to win."

His arrival at Milan:

“The first time I spoke to Maldini and Massara it was nice to understand their vision of things, to see how the club is evolving. To be able to play here, to experience that atmosphere, to experience San Siro, is something special for me. I could see how the team plays, how the coach trains, feel the warmth of the fans and feel the great history of the club. I have always seen Milan as a great club and all these elements have brought me here".

His compatriot Alexis Saelemaekers:

“I had spoken to Alexis before choosing Milan, I asked him some questions about the club and he clearly spoke very highly of the team. He loves Milan and it shows. For me it was also very important to speak with the management, with the coach to understand immediately what Milan is."

San Siro:

“The first thing it transmits to me is the history it conveys and how legendary it was to play there, even though we played at Liverpool in a stadium that was just as special. But when you arrive at San Siro all the players are in awe, you can feel the football culture from small details like the fans, their knowledge of the club and their energy. I love that the fans care so much about the club, I was impressed, as was the offensive play of the team, these are all things I adore."

Speaking Italian:

“When I was 15, I moved to France from Belgium and I didn't speak French and had to adapt for the first time. I wanted to learn as soon as possible and it will be the same here. I love the idea of being able to learn more languages and experience different cultures, I love travelling. 100% I will try to get to know Italian football, the culture, I will try to make the most of my time here. I am sure that this experience will also make me grow as a man and make me give my best. This also means learning the language, but it's something I enjoy."

His objectives:

“I want to improve every day and prove my value starting from training and going all the way to the matches. Now I'm focused on preparing myself as well as possible, to join the team, to contribute as much as possible, to get to know my teammates, to improve every day and this is one of the goals. I'm focused on Milan, to integrate as soon as possible and make my contribution."

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