Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Klopp favourite’s stance on Liverpool future revealed amid urgent plan that requires major compromise

Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita

Liverpool have quickly learned whether or not Roberto Firmino wants to stay with them after they decided to speak to him about a contract renewal, according to reports.

Firmino has been with Liverpool since 2015, which makes him one of the few members of their squad to pre-date manager Jurgen Klopp. And since the German tactician was appointed at Anfield, no player has made more appearances for the club than their number nine.

However, his future is uncertain at the moment because of his contract situation. He could become a free agent next June, when his current deal expires.

With that in mind, Football Insider recently reported that Liverpool are willing to open talks with Firmino over a contract extension.

After all, he has been one of their most in-form players this season, with eight goals from 18 appearances in all competitions. As such, it would make sense for them to keep relying on him.

That said, there has been an expectation that Firmino’s gametime will decrease in the years to come. He is already 31 years old and Liverpool have invested heavily in other attackers like Darwin Nunez.

Therefore, the Brazilian will face a big decision about his future as and when Liverpool do approach him about the chance of staying there for longer.

Now, the same source that disclosed Liverpool’s plans to offer Firmino a renewal has filtered through further information about what the player is thinking.

Roberto Firmino stance boosts Liverpool

According to Football Insider, Firmino is “very keen” to continue his career as a Liverpool player.

Despite this, he must understand that any new deal is likely to be on lower wages than what he currently earns.

The report relays that Firmino is on a salary of around £180,000 per week at present. If he isn’t going to start regularly, it wouldn’t be sustainable for Liverpool to keep him on those terms.

But if he can contribute in the way he is doing now, even when most of his teammates are struggling, Firmino definitely seems like someone worth keeping around.

The fact he is eager to extend his stay at the club should give them confidence that they will be able to tie him down. It might even be the case before January, when he would be able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with a club abroad.

Fortunately for Klopp, who remains a big admirer of Firmino, that does not appear to be the ex-Hoffenheim man’s intention.

Instead, his commitment to Liverpool is now looking like it could increase into a ninth season and beyond. He has made 345 appearances for them to date, scoring 106 goals.

It is not yet clear exactly how long an extension Liverpool have planned for the attacker.

But since they both can envisage a future together, they should be optimistic of securing his signature. And as long as Firmino understands his role, it seems to be the most sensible solution.

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