22 Jun 2015

Yes Please: Liverpool close to signing 'irreplaceable' £15m Brazilian with 60 goals/assists in 73 games

Last week, the agent of Hoffenheim star Roberto Firmino confirmed that the Brazilian attacker 'will go to England' this summer, and new reports this weekend suggest that Liverpool are on the verge of sealing the deal.

Liverpool were last linked with 'irreplaceable' Firmino in April, when the Liverpool Echo claimed:

"Liverpool are looking for reinforcements next season, and the club is planning to make an offer for Roberto Firmino".

According to the Daily Express on Sunday:

"Liverpool are closing in on Hoffenheim’s Brazilian international midfielder Roberto Firmino, who would cost another £15 million".

Manchester United have reportedly agreed a fee with Hoffenheim, but whoever seals the deal will probably have to pay through the nose.

The Express claims that Hoffenheim's asking price is £15m, but when asked in May about a potential transfer fee, Hoffenheim CEO Peter Rettig told ESPN:

"Anything from €30 million upwards [for Firmino] is not unrealistic, but so far no clubs have made a move"

Is Firmino worth €30m? Stats for the last two seasons:

* 2013-14: 22 goals/16 assists (38) in 37 apps.

* Goal/Assist every 0.9 games

* 2014-15: 10 goals/12 assists (22) in 36 apps.

* Goal/assist every 1.6 games

* TOTALS: 32 goals/28 assists (60) in 73 apps.

* Goal/assist every 1.2 games.



60 goals/assists in 73 games? That's a great achievement in one of Europe's best leagues, and it's clear that Firmino is currently proving himself to be one of Europe's most prolific attacking player.

As much as I'd love to see it happen, I can't see Liverpool signing Firmino; there's too much competition, and the Reds have the weakest bargaining position of all the clubs currently linked with the Brazilian.

There is a smidgen of hope, though: Coutinho and Firmino have recently made the breakthrough together into the Brazil national team, so perhaps Liverpool's Brazilian magician can persuade his international team-mate to sign for Liverpool...?

Author: Jaimie K


46 comments:

  1. So he is like Suarez

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  2. Yes, possibly a smidgen of hope that Firmino will walk into Anfield, based on factors other than immediate expectancies of grand income and trophy potential. Sometimes, albeit rarely, younger players romanticise playing with their fellow countrymen and/or being the heroes in transforming also-ran clubs into world-beaters. I suppose that while the thrust of players - egged on by selfish agents no doubt - will seek immediate rewards, it's this very modus operandi that makes seeing players inspired by more sentimental ideals all the more heartening. So, here's to hoping...

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  3. I think he'd make a fitting CB for us, alongside Balotelli at RWB.

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  4. To talk baseball: "this is deja vu all over again"

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  5. Oh I get it, that's a joke at Brendan Rodgers' expense, poking fun at his apparent lack of tactical nous! Subtle satire is just the bees.

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  6. Andre ayew chose Swansea over Liverpool because of loic Remy and that's only 1 example where youngsters have chosen a club due to knowing people that play there.

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  7. Yeah, agree unreservedly. You cite a fine example of a romantic notion from a worthy player in Ayew.

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  8. are Bacca and Rondon links any good? please god make it so, Both please! that said i wouldnt mind Firmino either.

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  9. No use in loosing any sleep on any gossip till the window slams shut

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  10. I do love the silly season, so far I think we've been in the driving seat of about 80 deals.


    Firmino does look class and it is good that we have a couple of Brazilians already in the squad as that can make a move and settling in easier.


    I would however be as excited by the players we are getting rid off, because if that doesn't happen we can't bring more in.

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  11. Joel Matt Murdock Hwa8:19 am, June 22, 2015

    Same thing every season. We are linked with all the big names, but come transfer market end, the target will go to someone else.

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  12. Hope they are soulmates...

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  13. We are bottom of the pile when top players are available.

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  14. Firstly doesn't Loic Remy play for Chelsea? And the only person that thought Andre Ayew was going to get a move to Liverpool was ANDRE AYEW. He has been talking about it being his dream for two years on and off but there was never any serious story about us being interested. Now all of a sudden he has 'rejected' Liverpool to go to Swansea. Give me a break. Simon Kjaer did exactly the same this week, having spent the last six months making 'come and get me' pleas to LFC to no avail, he signs for Besiktas and then starts spouting he rejected Liverpool to sign for them. Even if you don't believe the obvious that any player would choose Liverpool over these clubs, there is no way their agents would allow it because of the extra money involved - they would ensure they signed for us if nothing else. Just players with an inflated view of their own ability that are upset that they flashed us the glad eye and it was not reciprocated.

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  15. lol.. I hope so too :)

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  16. The type of player we need. A game changer, but alas LFC flatter to decive so its Milner for creative flair this season I think.

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  17. Just LFC using the media to prod Villa into releasing Benteke at a lower price, unfortunately.

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  18. Andrew Ayew choose Swansea over Liverpool? Bullshit.
    You can say the same re kjear, he has been pleading for lfc to come and sign him....,The time he realized lfc are never interested in him (he's not good enough ), he now start talking trash to the media in other to cover the shame

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  19. Just a pipe dream IMO. It will be Depay all over again, there were even claims he wanted to join us instead of United...yeah right!


    These are the type of players we should be targeting, but these type of players won't join a club with no present history and CL.

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  20. Pretty much the whole team...Borini, Alberto, Balotelli, Lambert, Allen etc...

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  21. Signing Benteke or Llorent will just prove once again that BR has no clue regarding transfers.


    He literally kicked out Carroll out of the club and now we are targeting more target men when we are the 2nd team in the league with the least crosses?

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  22. Bacca & Firmino would be a great signings, not to sure about Rondon.

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  23. Coutinho looked a little out of his depth last night, Alves & Willian best players on the pitch.

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  24. Coutinho to me is a player with loads of potential but unsure whether he will be able to reach the next level with the kind of players around him at the club.


    For the past 3 seasons he has gone through a really bad spell...he need to find at consistency.

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  25. Yeah, he is on the brink of going one way or the other. He didn't seem to know how to get in the game last night and it wasn't happening. The coach switched his position with Willian in the second half and PC was taught a lesson in how to influence a game by Willian.

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  26. Swap "apparent" for 'proven' and you nailed it ; )

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  27. They will - Eriksen and Lamela, two hugely rated players, joined Tottenham, as did Rafael Van der Vaart; Wilfried Bony and De Guzman joined Swansea; Yaya Toure and David Silva joined City; Inter, who are in a similar quagmire to Liverpool, signed Shaqiri, Hernanes, Podolski, and look close to signing Kondogbia; the list continues.

    It's all about whether the club's stated ambition matches its wage offer.

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  28. Good point, if you want them and you need them, offer mega bucks and you may get 'em.

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  29. Thanks; yep, and there's no need to go completely overboard a la Toure and Silva. There are loads of established internationals who can be scooped up for less than 150k a week.

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  30. Haha, might be quicker to list those to keep:

    Definites: Skrtel, Hendo, Couts, Can
    Probables: Sturridge, Lallana, Sakho, Moreno,
    Possibles: Ibe, Markovic, Lucas, Allen
    No thanks: Balo, Lambert, Borini, Lovren

    Just my opinion.

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  31. With no CL, a manager no decent player has ever heard of and apparently a city no one wants to come to, the only card in your hand is wages.


    If LFC want to get back, they have to bite the bullet.

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  32. Wasn't me who said that, Mike.

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  33. How is that relevant. Those clubs were there before 2010 as well and then we did manage to qualify for the CL just fine. Plus, the main point is that we have invested 350 million pounds only to drop down the pecking order in a tremendous fashion. It is not just because we're not in the Champions League either. Spurs are 21st. How often have they played in the CL? Napoli are 20th? Sporting Braga are 37th. It is also about us doing tremendously poor in the Europa League. We got kicked out by a team that then went and lost to Club Brugge! In the year a EL win qualifies you for next year's Champions League.

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  34. How is that relevant? Since taking over, FSG have spent 350 million. It's not a matter of the money not being there. It's not even a matter of them not willing to spend it. It's a matter of it being spent in a pesh poor manner.

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  35. The ranking is based on performance in Europe over the past 5 seasons. In 2007 we had just lost the CL final and we had won one 2 years prior to that. The past five years we have qualified for the CL once and when we were in the Europa League, we did a poor job in that too.

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  36. I never thought Coates was good enough for Liverpool and simply believed that he was brought in to keep Suarez company. Illori was highly rated and I actually believe he will come good - hopefully for us but if not, I do think he will be a quality centre back soon enough.
    If the club thought like you, we wouldn't be about to receive 50 mill for a kid we plucked from QPR and we wouldn't have a ready made replacement because no one would think signing a child from Wycome would benefit us.
    Allen and Borini were never touted as promising prior to signing for us. They are as good as they will ever be and that isn't good enough for a starting berth at Liverpool. Allen however has a good attitude and has shown himself to be a competent squad player. Borini was never good enough.
    Markovic needs to get a consistent run in his best position before I judge him as a complete failure. He is young and is in a new country. He deserves a little leeway.
    Again, if the club had shown foresight and invested in the youth market a few years ago (which you don't seem to advocate) instead of being reactionary, we might have had players like Courtois and De Bruyne and Firmino in our first team now instead of hoping that we can sign just one such player as our 'marquee' signing for 20-30 million.
    Let me know what you think of Gomez when you actually see the kid play. Even if it's on TV.

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  37. Actually, I agree re a lot of your points, but the chances of signing Gomez and get a new Kompany are slim at best and to think everyone will turn out the next Mercenary is just glass half full. And btw Rafa signed Sterling, who knew a thing or two about signing quality players, unlike Rodgers who, to put it mildly, falls short on that category. I have no problem with mass signing of promising young players with potential, but you surely agree we desperately need proven quality right now, and also someone should be in charge that isn't a clueless pigeon when it comes to scouting prospects (i.e., someone like Wenger).

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  38. My point was, its too simplistic to say our position in rich league should tie in with euro ranking.


    We were always going to the most vulnerable of old top 4 when city won the lottery & started to ramp things up, this fall was accelerated by H&G.


    Not sure of other teams net/gross spends, 350m have we outspent other top 4 teams over this period?


    Not a defence of Rodgers. I think his european record is a joke, & has showed no signs of improvement

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  39. You gotta love the internet, one Google search and there is a website which lists transfer money spent in the last five years. As if they knew what we would be looking for :-) Anyway, we're fourth in spending behind Citeh (475 million), Chelsea (498 million) and Man United (356 million). Nett spent, we're fourth too. Arsenal, over the same period, has spent about 100 million less (well more like 95 million but 100 adds more drama..)

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  40. One big surprise for me by the way, Spurs has a net spent of MINUS 21 million over the same period. Not too shabby for them seeing as they still finished ahead of us last year...

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  41. There is also wages. lallana & Fabregas only 2m difference in transfer fee, lallana probab

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  42. Nestle maggi noodles made in two minutes enjoy

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  43. Jaime, i replied to Eric half hour ago, still pending. Nothing bad in it?

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  44. I can't see how this chant will catch on..

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  45. He will be gone eventually. We want a bigger up front payment which they're finding difficult due to FFP

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