Liverpool sends Origi to Wolfsburg on season-long loan

Divock Origi is off to Germany in search of more significant playing time.

Liverpool announced Thursday the club has shipped the versatile Belgian forward to Wolfsburg on a season-long loan. The Reds will bank £6 million in the deal, while the Bundesliga club will pay the entirety of Origi's wages this season, James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo reports.

Origi scored 21 goals in 77 appearances for the Merseyside club after his 2014 switch from Lille, but figured to be buried on the bench this season; the signing of Mohamed Salah - and, to a lesser extent, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - gave manager Jurgen Klopp more enticing options that would have pushed Origi down the pecking order.

Throw in the likes of Adam Lallana, who is out injured, and Philippe Coutinho, who looks set to stay at the club despite Barcelona's best efforts, and the 22-year-old Belgian international would likely have struggled to even consistently make the bench at Anfield this season.

He should get plenty of opportunities to feature at the Volkswagen Arena, though, where he'll likely play off veteran German striker Mario Gomez up front.