Divock Origi thrives on the pressure of responsibility and his move to Anfield can't come soon enough.

That's the verdict of respected French football writer Julien Laurens of Le Parisien who believes that the 19-year-old Belgian striker has the potential to be a big hit with Liverpool when his loan spell back at former club Lille finishes at the end of this season.

Origi burst into global football's consciousness at this summer's World Cup finals scoring the winning goal against Russia and earning himself a £10million move to the Reds.

His previous employers insisted that he be immediately loaned back to them for a further year though and Origi has been turning on the style back in the French League.

Laurens said: "Things have been completely different for Divock this season, he's now seen as being a big star.

"He's one of the biggest attractions in Ligue 1 and people are paying money to see him play because he's doing so well and is seen as being the next big thing."

Origi has helped Lille into fourth place in the table with four goals in his five starts so far this season and Laurens credits the striker for the club's position.

He said: "Divock is the main reason why Lille have done so well. He's been involved in around 70% of their goals so far in either scoring them or helping to set them up.

"Without him I'm in no doubt that they'd be in the bottom half of the table. There have been moments of brilliance from him and when the team has been playing better there has been some good collective play.

"The pressure has been massive on him, especially now that Salomon Kalou has gone [to Hertha Berlin]. Everyone was asking: 'Is Divock going to do it?

"It was very different for him earlier this year when nobody expected him to do so well but he had a good World Cup and now he's the main man at Lille. He's thrived on the extra responsibilities though and is carrying the club."

Laurens believes Origi's family background within the game has helped him cope with the expectations of succeeding at the top.

His dad Mike, a Kenyan-born striker, spent most of his career in the Belgian League while his uncles Gerald and Anthony also played at the top level back in Africa and his cousin Arnold Origi is a goalkeeper with Norwegian club Lillestrom who has been capped 27 times by Kenya.

Laurens said: "Divock comes from a big footballing family and that kind of environment has made him very competitive.

"The pressure of expectation is part of his genes - it's in his DNA."

Considering teenager Origi only netted six goals in 35 games in all competitions for Lille last season, his rise in recent months has been dramatic and Laurens admits the player has exceeded all expectations.

He said: "There was a period last season when things were not going his way and for three or four months he was very average . But you expect this with a player of such a young age.

"He finished the season well though and Christian Benteke's injury presented him with an opportunity. Just getting into the 30-man shortlist for the World Cup would have been an achievement so making the full squad was a big surprise.

"Romelu Lukaku is a top striker but we all thought he'd be the main man with Divock maybe playing the third game if Belgium were already through or getting 10 minutes here and there.

"Of all the Belgian players at the tournament he did the most to enhance his profile and obviously when a club like Liverpool comes in for you at just 19 that changes everything. You can see the confidence in Divock now. Last season he would have looked to Kalou first but now when he gets to the edge of the box he'll take a shot because he's the main guy.

"Of course the next step will be when he finally gets to Liverpool." 

Source: Liverpool Echo