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Fabinho has declared there is still time for Roberto Firmino to change his mind and remain at Liverpool despite confirmation from his agent that he will be leaving at the end of the season. The Brazilian forward, who is adored at Anfield for his outstanding contribution over the course of nearly eight seasons on Merseyside, has decided the time is right to end his time with the club as he seeks to move onto pastures new.
There had been extensive discussions between Firmino’s representatives and Liverpool over a new contract but the 31-year-old has now drawn a line in the sand, communicating his position to Jurgen Klopp.
However, Fabinho appears to have indicated there is still a small slice of hope that Firmino could yet stay put in what would prove to be a significant swing of the pendulum.
Fabinho told ESPN Brasil after the 7-0 demolition of Manchester United: “Bobby is a very special guy. It’s great to have him as a teammate. He’s a guy that everyone likes him. It was really cool that he scored today, that he celebrated in that way. Everyone on the bench, on the field, celebrated with him, because he is a guy that everyone likes.
“So he’s a guy who for me should stay at Liverpool forever, who was very important since my arrival. And I don’t want to talk too much about the future, let’s enjoy these last few months that we have of him here.
“I don’t know if the situation can still change, but we joke with him a little. But let’s enjoy it while we have this player with us because he is a very special guy.”
It appears Firmino’s decision is already final, however, according to his agent Roger Wittmann, who has declared the forward’s focus is now on ensuring he finishes his Liverpool career in style.
Wittman told Football Insider: “Our plan for the next couple of weeks – this is the plan of Roberto – is to show the manager and Liverpool finally again the best version of him to say goodbye. This is what he wants to do.
“He has no clue what that means for him in the near future. He told us during the whole phase when we negotiated, ‘I don’t want to talk to anybody else, there’s no need to do that’. He said it was a decision with the club.”
A number of clubs from the Middle East are already believed to be lining up a swoop for Firmino, who is expected to remain in Europe.
Klopp was simply overjoyed to see Firmino notch Liverpool’s seventh goal in their 7-0 thrashing of United – a goal that received the loudest cheer of all from the jubilant Kop.
“Bobby tonight was the most special moment,” Klopp said of Firmino on Sunday. “It was not an easy decision for him. The reception he got was absolutely outstanding.
“With all the wonderful goals he scored, that’s the goal he pretty much wanted the most.”
Firmino is understood to have referenced Liverpool’s new-look attack when disclosing his decision to Klopp during a private meeting last Friday.
His decision was therefore vindicated when both Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez struck twice against United, while Mohamed Salah also helped himself to two goals for the Reds.
It’s currently unclear whether Liverpool will look to replace Firmino in the transfer market with other areas currently of greater priority.
Nonetheless, he is another big name set to head for the exit door, following the likes of Sadio Mane and Gini Wijnaldum out of the club following a momentous spell at Anfield under the tutelage of Klopp.
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