Juventus are reportedly preparing a second bid for Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino, after their first was ‘laughed off’ by Anfield bosses.
Signed in the summer of 2015, months prior to Jurgen Klopp’s appointment as Reds boss, the Brazilian has proven to be one of the club’s shrewdest acquisitions of the modern era and has remained a mainstay in the side during their recent successes.
Firmino led the line for Klopp’s charges during their Champions League-winning campaign in 2019 and their historic Premier League title victory a year later. Now coming into the final 12 months of his contract on Merseyside, the 30-year-old has fallen down the pecking order due to the arrivals of Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and most recently, Darwin Nunez.
Part of Liverpool ’s historic front three, Firmino has already outlasted Sadio Mane, who joined Bayern Munich during the summer window. But whilst Mohamed Salah has signed a new long-term contract, Firmino’s future remains uncertain - and his exit may force Klopp to find a replacement.
TuttoJuve carry a report that Juventus have lodged an official bid for the versatile forward, but saw their £19.5million bid roundly rejected. Massimiliano Allegri is in the market for a striker to complement Dusan Vlahovic after Alvaro Morata returned to Atletico Madrid at the end of his two-year spell.
The Bianconeri boss is now hoping to land an alternative, with suggestions that Firmino and Manchester United striker Anthony Martial are on his wishlist. A move for the Liverpool star appears to be further forward though and TuttoJuve added that an improved bid could be imminent.
They claim there is a belief that Kop chiefs could cash in on the player, or else risk losing him on a free next summer. Klopp has been one of the biggest supporters of Firmino over the years and has regularly hit back at critics over his performances.
The ECHO suggest that due to the cut-price nature of any deal at this point, he is more likely to push to hang on to him for another season. But the German has also intriguingly stated that the only way any more incomings will be sanctioned during this window, is if players depart.
Along with Nunez from Benfica, Liverpool have signed exciting Portuguese starlet Fabio Carvalho from Fulham and landed highly-rated defender Calvin Ramsay from Aberdeen. Aside from that, it appears business on the red side of the city is closed, unless senior members of the squad depart before the September 1 deadline.
"If nobody wants to leave, we are done. Or if a bad injury comes in...I don't hope so. But Liverpool fans can now start focusing on other things,” Klopp told Sky Sports.
Pressed on potential departures, he added: "Have I ever spoken in situations like this about it? You get the results - not the process!"
As well as losing Mane to Bayern, Klopp has also seen Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi depart for Monaco and Milan respectively.
Liverpool’s pre-season will conclude later this week when they take on RB Salzburg in Austria, before flying back to the UK to face Manchester City at Wembley in the Community Shield. Their Premier League title challenge then begins a week later, when they travel to Craven Cottage to take on newly-promoted Fulham.
