If there is to be a defining player of the Jurgen Klopp era at Liverpool, few have a greater claim than Roberto Firnino.
For much of the last seven years, the brilliant Brazilian has been integral to so many of the good and the great times experienced on the watch of their current manager.
Ask Klopp about his all-purpose frontman and his eyes light up: The German has never been less than effusive and gushing in his praise of the qualities of his forward. He is a man who has redefined what it is to wear the No.9 shirt on your back at Anfield. He was and is Liverpool FC's first-ever false nine; an attacker who overall influence to the team has always outweighed his contributions in front of goal. For a player who has 107 to his name for the Reds, it is quite the compliment.
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In fact, such has been the 31-year-old's enduring importance to Klopp's cause that of his 999 games to date in management, no player - across any of the three clubs managed in 22 years - has featured more for him.
Of Firmino's 348 Liverpool appearances, only seven of those did not come under Klopp and the Brazil forward has a huge debt of gratitude to his current coach for fine tuning his game to become the central point of one of the most deadly three-pronged attacks in Premier League history alongside Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
Having won every top level trophy available to him during his time at Anfield, the man with the blinding, megawatt smile and love of the no-look finish will walk away, whenever the time comes, as a bonafide Liverpool legend.
And while Klopp insisted in his Friday press conference he is hopeful that departure won't be imminent as a contract impasse goes on, the times are a-changing at Liverpool. So too is Firmino's role within the ecosystem.
"There is no reason to give too detailed information but when you think a bit, where could it hang? It could be the time, it could be the money or these kinds of things, but it is completely normal," Klopp said on the contract issue. "Bobby knows the situation here and what we think of him, that's clear."
But even if Klopp gets his wish and the flamboyant South American stays on for longer with the Reds, there will surely be an acceptance that his place within the ranks is not where it once was in those halcyon days between 2018-2020.
Klopp, whether he would freely admit it or not, is currently taking the first tentative steps towards a long-term rebuild at Liverpool and while that particular renovation is not happening quickly enough for some where the midfield is concerned, the forward line has already been significantly adjusted over the last 12 months.
The captures of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo have helped refresh and reduce as far as the age-range of the options at Klopp's disposal go up front. Add in the departure of Sadio Mane and the long-term contract extension of Mohamed Salah and Firmino remains the one constant in an area of dramatic change since the start of last year.
He will turn 32 in October, however, and his status as one of the club's highest earners will surely come in for further assessment if he is to remain on the books. Given the ongoing adaptations of Nunez, Diaz and Gakpo, it's unlikely Firmino will be called upon as regularly as in recent years, particularly with Diogo Jota also part of the pack too.
For his part, the striker himself is quoted as saying in the pre-match programme for Saturday's visit from Chelsea that he would like to remain at the club beyond his current terms. “It’s incredible playing high-level football here with great players, stars of the game," he is quoted as saying. "I’m happy here and I intend to stay here and help Liverpool FC.”
For all the warm sentiment from Klopp, his staff and the wider fanbase where the No.9 is concerned, Liverpool are unlikely to want to keep a squad player on such a high wage going forward, meaning some compromise will be needed for both the manager and the player to have their wishes fulfilled.
Whatever happens going forward, Firmino is now into his final act at Liverpool and having evolved as a player to help the Reds get to their previous high points under Klopp, the man so affectionately known as 'Bobby' might find himself in need of another Anfield evolution going forward.
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