Liverpool confirm Divock Origi and Loris Karius among seven players to leave club when contacts expire | Football News

Liverpool have confirmed Divock Origi as one of seven players who will leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of June.

The 27-year-old has spent the last seven years at Liverpool and played a pivotal role in their Champions League triumph in 2019 – scoring twice against Barcelona in the semi-final before netting against Tottenham in the final.

Liverpool say Origi has been “involved in some of the most iconic and important moments in the club’s modern history” during his time at the club and his heroics in that European campaign earned him “a guaranteed place in club legend”.

The Belgian also helped Liverpool win the Premier League in 2020, the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup in 2019, as well as the FA Cup and Carabao Cup last season.

Origi, who scored 41 goals in 175 matches for Jurgen Klopp’s side, has been strongly linked with a move to Italian champions AC Milan.

Klopp confirmed Origi’s departure last month and backed up the club’s stance that the forward will go down as a legend.

“He’s one of the most important players I ever had,” the German said. “Wherever he will go he will be successful, 100 per cent.

“It will be a hard moment when he leaves. He is a Liverpool legend, no doubt.”

Karius among other Liverpool departures

As Liverpool announced their retained and released list on Thursday, another noticeable departure was German goalkeeper Loris Karius.

Karius has not played for the club since the 2018 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, a match which saw him make two mistakes in the 3-1 loss.

Since then, Karius has spent three seasons on loan at Besiktas and Union Berlin – but was part of Liverpool’s roster last season.

Liverpool also announced midfielders Sheyi Ojo and Ben Woodburn will also be leaving the club this summer.

Ojo played 13 times for the first team, scoring once, but has been on eight loan spells in the last seven years. The 24-year-old spent last season on loan at Championship side Millwall.

Wales international Woodburn, meanwhile, made 11 appearances for the club – scoring once as well – and spent last season on loan at Scottish Premiership side Hearts.

Academy players Elijah Dixon-Bonner, Luis Longstaff and Sean Wilson have also been released.