New AC Milan striker Divock Origi has said that he is ‘charged up’ and proud to be a part of the Rossoneri’s history after being officially announced by the club.
The Belgian striker had his free transfer formally announced on Tuesday afternoon with his move being all-but-confirmed weeks beforehand.
He joins on a four-year contract after the expiration of his deal with Premier League side Liverpool where he won the Premier League, the Champions League, and more.
Upon signing, Origi sat down with Milan TV (via Milan News) for his first-ever official media duties since becoming a Milanista.
He immediately spoke about how he felt at home at the club: “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,” he said.
“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.”
He also talked about how he has been preparing himself for the move both physically and mentally and he feels ready to make a serious impact.
“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”.
The former Standard Liege forward added that for him, the chance to be able to win trophies was a big driver in his choice of where to move.
“Having the chance to win is the most important thing, seeing the process behind building a team and what it takes to win and to play well between difficult and positive moments,” he explained.
“All this has made me grow, at 27 years old you feel that your body continues to improve and for me this is fantastic.”
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.”
He better have this attitude. There is someone named Zlatan,watching.
Welcome Divock!!!
He has a great attitude — all of his Liverpool and Belgium teammates have always only said how he is a great teammate. I love that he already knows the history, has felt and experienced the passion of Milan when he played at San Siro last year in CL and is ready to work with his teammates! I expected many goals and assists from him!
Great news! Very impressive striker, and he seems to have a good mentality. Looking forward to his contribution this coming season.
Welcomen, man, I’m certain that you’ll have a very successful trajectory with us, cause you’re a bona fide winner.