The Belgium striker has attracted the interest of Liverpool, and his national team colleague is sure he can succeed in England
By Kris Voakes in Sao Paulo
Jan Vertonghen believes his Belgium team-mate Divock Origi has what it takes to be a success at the top end of the Premier League amid interest from Liverpool.
The Tottenham full-back followed up a shot from Origi to net the winner in Thursday’s 1-0 victory over South Korea secured the Red Devils a fixture with USA in the World Cup Round of 16.
And following reports that the Anfield side have shown interest in the Lille striker, Vertonghen says the 19-year-old can be a big hit if a move materialises.
“He has the qualities to play for a good team in the Premier League and I think he shows it every game,” Vertonghen told reporters.
“He has come on in every game, and he’s changed games for us.
“He has the qualities to go to a bigger league, but obviously with Lille playing in the Champions League we’ll see.”
Origi and Adnan Januzaj are the two youngest players in the Belgian World Cup squad, and Vertonghen has also backed the Manchester United star to fulfill his immense promise.
“Januzaj is someone a bit like Origi, there’s no pressure and he plays like he’s on the street. He did well against South Korea, he kept possession and he worked very hard. I saw him a couple of times playing balls from our end so I’m very happy with him and how he played in that game,” added Vertonghen.
“It’s lovely to see, and it reminds me how old I am! He’s a great guy and such a good player so I hope he can get to play more games here and at United to show just how good he is.
“He feels no pressure. He’s a guy with so many qualities and he’s shown that next season he could be one of the best players in the Premier League.”
The 27-year-old will return to Spurs after the tournament to find a new face in the manager’s office after Mauricio Pochettino replaced Tim Sherwood as boss. And Vertonghen is sure the club can progress under the ex-Southampton and Espanyol coach.
“I’ve heard some good stories about our new manager so I’m looking forward to meeting him and talking to him and we’ll see what’s going to happen this summer but I’m very confident about Tottenham next season.”