Roberto Firmino: Liverpool told to offer forward new contract as Jurgen Klopp stance revealed by source – pundit
Gabby Agbonlahor has urged Liverpool to tie Roberto Firmino to a new contract.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Aston Villa and England attacker insisted Firmino still has a major role to play at Anfield despite the arrival of Luis Diaz.
A Liverpool source told Football Insider on Friday (12 February) they are set to offer the Brazilian a new deal ahead of the summer.
Firmino, along with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, is out of contract at the end of next season.
The Brazilian has managed just eight Premier League starts this term but Jurgen Klopp still thinks he will play a big role as he begins to reshape his front three.
“He’s definitely got a role to play but if they lost Firmino they would survive,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“They’ve got better options with the likes of Diaz coming in and they’re talking about bringing Fabio Carvalho in as well.
“It’s going to come down to how much Klopp really wants him.
“I’m sure Liverpool fans are a bit half and half on Firmino. He’s good some games but then sometimes he doesn’t turn up and he doesn’t score enough goals for a number nine.
“It will be an interesting one to see what happens. If I was Liverpool I would keep him because they don’t really have any out-and-out strikers and he’s the closest they’ve got to a number nine.”
Firmino has scored 94 goals and provided 73 assists in 315 games across all competitions for Liverpool.
The 55-time international has won the Premier League, Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup with the club.
In other news, an ex-Premier League referee has spotted new time-wasting tactics being deployed to ‘burn’ Liverpool.