Liverpool open Firmino talks as they look to remove worrying exit fee

Liverpool are reportedly set to open talks over a new deal for Roberto Firmino this summer amid claims his current buy-out clause makes his vulnerable to a number of European predators.

The Brazilian is enjoying his best season yet at Anfield, where he has thrived alongside Sadio Mane and especially Mohamed Salah in the Reds attack.

It was Brendan Rodgers who brought Firmino to Liverpool in the summer of 2015 in a £29million swoop from Hoffenheim. Though his five-year deal still has just over two years left to run, Liverpool are looking to reward the 26-year-old with improved terms as a reward for his fantastic form this season.

His form this season has led to suggestions that Bayern Munich could look to sign the forward, while Real Madrid have also been touted as potential suitors.

The ex-Hoffenheim man has 26 goals and 13 assists to his name for Jurgen Klopp’s charges term.

And the need to tie Firmino down to a new deal has been exasperated by claims in the Belgian media which claims the Reds are vulnerable to an approach thanks to the exit clause inserted in his contract when he first arrived at Anfield.

According to Le Soir, the buy-out clause in Firmino’s deal is set at just €98m, which equates to £83million – hardly enough to put Europe’s big boys off a potential swoop in the current transfer market.

According to reports, Liverpool are confident of tying Firmino down to a newly-improved deal which will see elevated alongside Virgil van Dijk as the club’s top earner on £150,000 a week.And

The Reds are also in talks with his fellow forward Salah over an extended deal.

And Firmino clearly has a huge fan in his manager Klopp, who is keen to tie the player down to a new deal.

Speaking in December 2016, Klopp said of the forward: “When I knew I was coming here I knew I had a good player – I was looking forward to working with him very much.

“He is happy… so he doesn’t care about getting more credit or recognition. Of course he is very important because he can play these positions all three positions in our system, and in our system I’m sure he could play the eight too.

“He is different, but he can play there. He is a very important player, a connecting player, a finisher, a fighter, a defender, the first defender – that is important. A lot of things he is good at are very important for us.

“He’s still a good listener, and a good trainer. He likes to train he likes to learn, so that is excellent, a nice package.”

News of Firmino’s exit clause was first revealed in December 2016 – with an unusual stipulation preventing one Premier League side from activating it.

 

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