Latest news with #Firmino
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Richard Hughes ready to agree deal to sign NEXT Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho
That's because by all accounts, including Fabrizio Romano, the Reds are ready to agree a club record fee with Bayer Leverkusen in order to sign Florian Wirtz. And the 22-year-old is someone who can replace both Coutinho and Firmino. He has the ability to play as a no.10 and become Liverpool's Coutinho with his delicate touches, creative flair and ability to score long-range efforts from outside the opposition's box. Out of his last 10 goals in all competitions, 40% of them were scored from outside the box. Like Coutinho, he thrives in tight spaces and loves taking players on. He has completed the most take-ons (81) in the Bundesliga this season. But he's not just a no.10. Wirtz is tactically flexible. He can play further forward in a false nine role as well - similar to Firmino. Wirtz has the tactical intelligence to play in a false nine set-up. He's done it before at club, and international level. His finishing ability combined with the way he can link-up with his teammates and provide assists would allow him to take-up a Firmino role in Slot's side. On top of that he also provides the same infectious work-rate off the ball. Just as his former coach Markus Daun told Anfield Watch. "He has incredibly good athletic ability, extreme endurance and good fitness. I think that's the basis of his ability and one of his strengths. One he performs week in, week out," Daun said. The data backs this up as well. He has won the most possessions in the opposition's final third (71) in the Bundesliga this season. And he also covered the third most distances in the Bundesliga (11.6km per 90) for Bayer Leverkusen.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liverpool could FINALLY have their new Roberto Firmino
Liverpool may finally replace Firmino Firmino is one of the most iconic strikers Anfield has ever seen, and no one has quite been able to fill the Brazilian's boots since his departure in 2023. Both of the Reds current options up top, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez, arrived before Firmino actually left the club but neither of the pair have been able to fill the void left by the legendary no.9. Advertisement Firmino's best return for Liverpool came in the 2017/18 season, when the forward managed 27 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for the Reds. Neither Nunez or Diaz have managed to beat that total. The former managed 18 goals and 15 assists in his best season and the latter 21 goals and 8 assists. That means no striker at Liverpool has managed 20+ goals and 10+ assists in one season since the great Brazilian, but Wirtz could be the man to break that duck. How would Wirtz fit at Liverpool? The German has played the majority of his games for Leverkusen in a more traditional no.10 role, but he is capable of being deployed further forward as well as on both flanks. Advertisement Liverpool haven't really utilised a number 10 so far under Slot, with Dominik Szoboszlai being deployed deeper, and Writz's signing could mark a change in approach – or it could see a change in how the German is used. Known for his elite dribbling and passing, Wirtz is the closest thing Liverpool will have seen to Firmino in a long time, and he could be deployed in a very similar false-nine role. The 22-year old has 15 goals and 16 assists this campaign and enjoyed his best season in 2023/24 when he managed 18 goals and 20 assists. Although he is yet to hit 20+ goals and 10+ assists in a single season yet, slotting Wirtz into this title winning Liverpool side could take both parties to the next level and the results could be phenomenal.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Red Set To Leave Saudi After Delivering First-Ever AFC Champions League Title
Roberto Firmino's Resilient Saudi Sojourn Ends with Silverware and a Statement High Hopes in the Desert Heat When Roberto Firmino departed Liverpool in the summer of 2023, he left behind an Anfield legacy steeped in trophies, smiles, and samba-infused brilliance. His move to Al Ahli was more than a change of scenery—it symbolised a new era of footballing ambition in the Middle East. The Saudi Pro League's big-money drive for global relevance saw Firmino arrive as one of its marquee stars, a headline-grabbing addition in a landscape craving prestige. The league's mission was clear: invest heavily in elite talent, elevate the domestic game, and place Saudi football on the global map. Firmino was expected to be front and centre. But like many bold footballing adventures, this one didn't unfold exactly as planned. Fall from Favour, Rise to Glory Midway through his debut season, Firmino found himself cut from Al Ahli's domestic squad after the arrival of Wenderson Galeno tipped their foreign player count to 11—one above the league's cap. Head coach Matthias Jaissle had a decision to make. Firmino, one of the most recognisable names in the squad, was surprisingly the casualty. Advertisement It was a stark turn for a player of his calibre. His league appearances vanished, limited only to continental competitions where foreign player rules were more flexible. Yet Firmino didn't sulk. He didn't down tools. Instead, he channelled his energies into Al Ahli's AFC Champions League Elite campaign—and what followed was extraordinary. Champions League Star Turn Six goals. Seven assists. A tournament that will now carry his fingerprints in club folklore. In the final against Japan's Kawasaki Frontale, Firmino assisted both goals in a 2–0 victory. It sealed Al Ahli's first-ever AFC Champions League title and earned him the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. Advertisement It was a personal triumph forged from professional adversity—a demonstration of resilience that reaffirms Firmino's value well beyond league quotas. Quiet Exit, Loud Legacy Ysscores revealed that Al Ahli and Firmino have now agreed to part ways. 'Khalid Al-Ghamdi, the president of Al Ahli Saudi Club, announced reaching a final agreement with Brazilian star Roberto Firmino to end his contract with the team following the current season, after a comprehensive financial agreement.' 'Al-Ghamdi confirmed that the two parties reached a financial settlement that satisfies both sides, paving the way for Firmino to leave the team without any disputes, in an official step to close the chapter on the player with 'Al-Raqi'.' Advertisement This is not a story of failure—it is a portrait of professionalism. Firmino adapted, endured, and, ultimately, excelled. Our View – Anfield Index Analysis It's difficult not to feel a surge of admiration—and excitement—reading about Firmino's late-season heroics. The fact he was cast aside domestically but still rose to be the star of Al Ahli's greatest continental achievement speaks volumes about his character. He didn't moan, didn't demand headlines—he just got on with the job and delivered on the pitch. Liverpool fans have always known Firmino's worth, but this latest chapter only reinforces the idea that he's one of the most selfless and effective modern forwards in football. To think he might be a free agent soon will surely alert several top clubs in Europe, South America, or even MLS. Advertisement There's a poetic beauty in how he leaves Al Ahli—not in dispute, but in dignity, having handed them their most historic trophy. While Arne Slot is shaping Liverpool's future, many Reds wouldn't mind seeing Firmino pull on the red shirt once more, even in a cameo role. Regardless of where he lands next, Roberto Firmino remains a class act.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Liverpool transfer news: Jurgen Klopp favourite is on the move
From his voracious appetite to win loose balls, to his silky technical touches and link-up play - combined with his ability to put the ball into the back of the net. It was a sad day when he left the club for pastures new. The truth is even though it has now been two years, Liverpool still haven't really been able to replace him. Advertisement What's more frustrating is that Firmino is practically the perfect Slot player. The Dutchman wants someone who can both score goals and facilitate chances - this was Firmino at his very best in a nutshell. It's not like he's lost his form either. This season he made 13 goal contributions in 12 AFC Champions League Elite matches for Al Ahli and helped the Saudi Arabian side lift the tournament becoming the first ever player to win both the UEFA Champions League and the AFC Champions League. Still only 33-years-old, Firmino has years left in the game and it looks like he's bracing himself for his next move.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Saudi domination of Asian Champions League a concern after Al-Ahli triumph
It's been quite a journey for Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez and Al-Ahli, who lifted the AFC Champions League Elite trophy for the first time just before midnight on Saturday in front of 60,000 fans in Jeddah after a 2-0 win over Kawasaki Frontale of Japan. Firmino has not been registered in the Saudi Pro League (SPL), where teams are allowed only 10 foreign players, this year. The former Liverpool man's spot was taken by Galeno, his fellow Brazilian signed from Porto in January for around £45m. In Asia, however, there are no such restrictions and 'Bobby' has come back into the fold and played so well that he was named tournament's MVP. Advertisement Related: 'It took a lot of money': the Saudi boxing juggernaut comes to Times Square 'No words can express what I feel from the bottom of my heart,' a beaming Firmino said after he made both goals, the first a curling strike from his league replacement and the second a header from former Barcelona and Milan midfielder Franck Kessié. 'They take me out of the league … but I don't give up, I never give up.' Mahrez almost scored a third for Al-Ahli that would have taken his tournament goals tally to 10. Questions over the Algerian's weight and form seem like a long time ago now. Like his teammate, he adds the Asian Champions League title to the European one. One day Al-Ahli's head coach, Matthias Jaissle, will want to go the other way. Earlier this year, there were strong rumours that the 37-year-old German was to be replaced by the bigger-named Max Allegri. In Saudi Arabia, such reports are usually followed by a dismissal, but not this time, and the reward was a continental crown for a team that was in the second division a couple of years ago after a shock relegation. Advertisement The celebrations went on for hours. Jeddah, with its wide roads, Red Sea backdrop and the need to drive everywhere, does not feel like a football city upon first arrival, but it quickly becomes evident that, with another Asian champion in Al-Ittihad also calling it home, this is now firmly one of Asia's hotbeds. That was the case before Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) took over the two clubs in 2023, as well as Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr in Riyadh, and started spending big. The £800m spent in the initial transfer window and the deals that have followed have changed Asian football. In some ways, it has been a boost for the Champions League. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has never really known how to promote the tournament across the continent to vastly different markets and cultures. But then the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar and the rest fell into their lap. The marketing did itself. Suddenly, the Asian Champions League was big news in a way that had never happened before, except for a while, and nowhere near to the same extent, when Chinese teams spent big themselves a decade earlier. Saudi clubs were competitive before spending big, however, and adding world-class talent to strong contenders has had a fairly predictable effect on the pitch, and the ensuing domination is a concern. In that regard it was telling that five-time Japanese champions Kawasaki were cast as plucky outsiders going into the final by Al-Ahli and, ultimately, never really laid a glove on their opponents. The scene was set with a new format that saw two groups of 12, one in the west and one in the east, replacing 10 groups of four. Reducing entry just when interest was growing was perhaps a misstep, but the hope was that standards would rise. They did at the upper end. In the group stage, Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr took the top three spots, winning 18, drawing five and losing only one of their combined 24 games. Advertisement The AFC had already decided to host all games from the quarter-finals onwards in Jeddah. Strangely – or perhaps not given that the political power in Asian football has long moved from east to west – not much was said. Yet when the last eight finally met, and the three local teams beat eastern opposition with a combined scoreline of 14-1, the problems with the decision were impossible to ignore. Gwangju FC, a South Korean team making their continental debut, had a journey of more than 20 hours for a one-legged quarter-final against a team playing at home and with a wage bill 30 times higher than theirs. Al-Hilal ran out 7-0 winners, and even if the K-League team had managed a shock result there would have been a semi-final against Al-Ahli, a team roared on by 60,000 fans with a wage bill about 28 times higher than theirs. The new format reduced Gwangju's chances of glory from small to almost nonexistent. Saudi clubs, clearly the best in Asia, do not need automatic home advantage in the knockout stages, and neither does the tournament. There was nothing wrong with the old home and away format. It was fair and would mean that while Jeddah or Riyadh would still get the chance to host big games in spectacular fashion if their teams made it that far, so would everyone else.
