Liverpool gunning for ‘tremendous value’ Arsenal target, as Fabrizio Romano names three who’ll follow Firmino out
Fabrizio Romano strongly suggested three further players will follow Roberto Firmino out of Liverpool this summer, while one outlet claims the Reds have an Arsenal target in mind to help fill the void.
Firmino, 31, will leave Liverpool at season’s end following a glittering and trophy-laden eight-year spell at Anfield.
The news was initially broken by Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg on Friday. Firmino’s contract will expire in the summer and he’ll then be free to explore the free agent market.
Confirming the story in the aftermath of Liverpool’s 7-0 humbling of Man Utd – in which Firmino scored the seventh – Jurgen Klopp said: “It was not an easy decision for [Firmino].
“The reception he got today was absolutely outstanding. With all the wonderful goals he scored, that’s the goal he pretty much wanted the most.”
A squad overhaul has long been expected at Anfield and per Fabrizio Romano, three further faces are expected to depart.
Via Twitter, the trusted transfer guru revealed there are currently no plans in place to offer Naby Keita or Alex Ox-lade-Chamberlain new deals. Like Firmino, they’ll both become free agents in June.
Joining the midfield pair in leaving is likely to be Juventus loanee, Arthur Melo. Liverpool hold an option to buy in Arthur’s deal, though per Romano, it won’t be triggered.
Liverpool exits rise to four
“Not just Roberto Firmino,” said Romano. “There are currently no talks between Liverpool and Naby Keita over new contract and he could be next one to leave on a free, together with Oxlade-Chamberlain.
“Arthur Melo, also expected to leave; Liverpool are not planning to trigger the buy option.”
James Milner is another whose contract is up in the summer. Even if the veteran Englishman is retained, the need for midfield reinforcements is crystal clear.
Jude Bellingham is the club’s primary target and qualifying for next season’s Champions League will greatly aid their cause on that front. However, the arrivals aren’t expected to stop at just one.
Now, Football Insider shed light on who else is in Liverpool’s sights, naming Leicester’s Youri Tielemans as a player Klopp wants.
Tielemans swoop won’t scupper costlier moves
The Belgian will become a free agent in June and as such, a potential swoop is deemed ‘tremendous value’.
Tielemans, 25, is Premier League proven and a regular for the Belgian national side. He’s been heavily linked with Arsenal in the past, and FI claim both they and Newcastle will be in the mix for his signature come the summer.
However, so too will Liverpool, per the report. FI add the Reds are ‘plotting a move’ for the player who is ‘unlikely’ to agree fresh terms with Leicester.
Tielemans is reportedly keen to use his impending free agent status to his advantage and secure a lucrative deal.
His current contract at Leicester remains the one he signed back in 2019. As such, his reported £35,000-a-week salary is far below what a player of his calibre can be expected to earn in the modern game.
Tielemans’ record at the King Power stands at 28 goals and 25 assists in 187 matches. He famously rifled home the winning goal in the 2021 FA Cup final to deliver Leicester’s first ever success in that competition.
