Firmino has made it clear that when his contract at Anfield expires, he wants to leave Liverpool
When his contract with Liverpool expires at the end of June, it is expected that Roberto Firmino will move to Real Madrid for free.
According to the Spanish publication El Nacional, Los Blancos want to sign the Brazilian striker to a Bosman contract, emulating their 1999 signing of Steve McManaman, another Reds favorite who turned down improved terms at Anfield in favor of moving to Madrid.
The reports will be disappointing to Jürgen Klopp and his coaching staff, who were reportedly eager to try and convince Firmino to sign a contract extension for at least another year. The 31-year-old has lost some of the endurance that made him such a crucial part of Klopp’s past gegenpressing systems, but he still has the brains and composure to trouble top teams.
Liverpool is currently in a transitional stage; the team is eighth in the Premier League standings and is probably not going to play in the Champions League the following season. All season long, Klopp’s team has come under fire for lacking dynamism and having an aging squad that is in desperate need of replacement. The German coach is being urged by supporters to let some of his stalwarts leave in order to make room for the upcoming generation.
Having said that, Klopp is rumored to be wary of tearing his team apart too quickly, and he views Firmino as a key member of the dressing room whose contributions could relieve pressure on newcomers. The Reds manager is reluctant to lose another member of the formerly feared Mane-Firmino-Salah trident because he already lost key player Sadio Mane in 2021.
Firmino is seen by Real Madrid as a cheap option who could buy them some time while they search for their next long-term No. 9. Despite consistently outstanding performances, particularly in the Champions League, Karim Benzema is now 35 and cannot continue indefinitely.
The Spanish juggernauts still harbor hopes of luring Kylian Mbappe to the Bernabeu, but they are aware that it might take a few years before that is feasible. Bobby might make the ideal temporary hire.
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