Divock Origi will not be allowed to return to Liverpool midway through his season-long loan at Lille, despite Brendan Rodgers' ongoing struggles to replace the goals of Luis Suarez.
Origi, 19, signed a six-year deal with Liverpool in the summer but was immediately loaned back for the season to Lille, the club where he had established his reputation as one of Europe's most exciting talents.
With Mario Balotelli so far failing to fill the void left by Suarez's £75 million summer departure for Barcelona and Daniel Sturridge hampered by injury problems, there had been speculation Liverpool could recall Origi, who has scored three times in 10 league outings for Lille this season.
But Lille coach Rene Girard says Origi will remain at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy until May, as initially agreed with Liverpool.
"It's only a rumour. There have been no approaches, as far as I know. It was agreed that Divock spend the year with us. There's no reason he should leave midway through the season," Girard, who compared Liverpool's problems in front of goal with his team's own difficulties, told Belgian radio RTBF. "Us too - we really need him."
On suggestions Balotelli could move the other way to compensate for Origi's departure, Girard said: "The matter has never been raised."
Origi - who made his Ligue 1 debut at 17 - was a surprise inclusion in his nation's World Cup squad, and is tipped to become a future star.
Girard compared his young forward to compatriots Aston Villa's Christian Benteke and Everton's Romelu Lukaku and believes Origi will outshine them in England.
"Divock has no reason to envy them, given his youth and his desire to succeed. He's going to continue improving year-on-year, and I think next year, he's going to be able to show he's one of Europe's greats," Girard explained.
Girard said earlier in October it would be wrong to expect such a young player to score "20 goals a season" for Lille, but still feels there is room for improvement from Origi.
"Currently, in terms of his heading, he must be at around 30 or 40% of his means," he added. "I am convinced that heading is more a state of mind rather than something truly technical. You go looking for the ball with your head if you really want to, and you can also use it as a weapon if you want to. There are players who aren't very big, but who are excellent headers of the ball.
"I think he's a boy who still has some way to go. Right now, he's at a club where he can grow by playing. He's a boy who has the makings of a great player. He has all the attributes."
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