
<p>Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has admitted that he was surprised Roberto Firmino decided to leave the club. News <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/roberto-firmino-to-leave-liverpool-at-end-of-season-report-says-20230303-WST-422026.html">surfaced last week</a> that the striker would be leaving <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/liverpool-tv-schedule/">Liverpool</a> after eight seasons on Merseyside. The Brazilian’s current contract ends at the completion of the campaign.</p>



<p>The coach was asked directly if he was surprised by his striker’s decision during a press conference on Friday. </p>



<p>“Surprised? Yes, a little bit. It could go two ways and it went one. And I respect that a lot,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64915543" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">responded</a> Klopp. “But, it’s completely normal in this kind of long relationship that we have and Bobby has with the club.”</p>



<h5>Injury and new additions limit minutes for striker</h5>



<p>Firmino’s playing time shrunk this season due to a calf injury and the additions of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/how-darwin-nunez-fits-into-an-already-loaded-liverpool-team-20220617-CMS-390012.html">Darwin Núñez</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/liverpool-agree-cody-gakpo-fee-with-psv-20221227-WST-413499.html">Cody Gakpo</a>. However, the Brazilian has still performed fairly well for Klopp in a more limited role with the team. He has managed to score 10 goals and add five assists in 25 games in <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">Champions League</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a> play, combined.</p>



<p>The Brazilian was on the scoresheet in Liverpool’s 7-0 demolishing of rivals <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-united-tv-schedule/">Manchester United</a> on Sunday. It was his first goal for the club since November. Klopp applauded the reaction at Anfield when Firmino entered the fray against the Red Devils. </p>



<p>“I loved the reception he got when he came on against United,” stated Klopp. “Now I want to bring this wonderful story to a positive end.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Klopp on Firmino: "The song [&apos;Sí, Señor&apos; chant] will be here for a long time in everybody&apos;s ears."<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/RbouxRfqwz">pic.twitter.com/RbouxRfqwz</a></p>— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1634196156405383168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2>Klopp insists no time for Firmino goodbyes just yet</h2>



<p>“There’s no time for a goodbye or whatever in this moment, there’s enough time for that later in the season,” Klopp also added. “Whenever he will come back, everybody knows that the song [Reds fans’ Bobby Firmino chant] will still be for a long, long time in everybody’s ears.”</p>



<p>“I think he’s one of these players that even when he would come with an opposition team, people would be really happy to see him.”</p>



<p>Firmino has six more opportunities to play in front of the home fans at Anfield. This, however, could be extended if the Reds mount <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/real-shocks-liverpool-napoli-dominates-in-champions-league-20230221-WST-420769.html">a massive comeback</a> against <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/real-madrid-tv-schedule/">Real Madrid</a> in the Champions League round of 16.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO : IMAGO / PA Images</em></p>


Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has admitted that he was surprised to learn that Roberto Firmino is opting to leave the club this summer.

Klopp 'surprised' by Roberto Firmino wanting out of Liverpool


<p>Roberto Firmino appears set to depart <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/liverpool-tv-schedule/">Liverpool</a> in the summer. The striker has been at the Merseyside club since 2015 and has played over 350 total matches for the club. However, his current contract with the Reds is set to expire at the end of the season.</p>



<p><em><a href="https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12824427/roberto-firmino-will-leave-liverpool-at-the-end-of-the-season-when-his-contract-expires" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sky Sports</a></em> is reporting that the 31-year-old forward will leave Liverpool when his deal runs out. The news outlet claims that Firmino even confirmed his intentions to team manager Jürgen Klopp on Friday. </p>



<p>Klopp previously told reporters that there were no issues between the club and Firmino. “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 <a href="https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/roberto-firmino-liverpool-future-contract-26037236#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> prior to Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea in January.</p>



<p>“Bobby knows the situation here and what we think of him, that’s clear. And there is nothing else to say, there is no problem or whatever, it is just the situation. I can’t see any kind of problems there.”</p>



<h5>Player recently proclaimed that he was happy at club</h5>



<p>Firmino even spoke about his future in January as well. The Brazilian told the official Liverpool magazine that he is happy at the club. “It’s incredible playing high-level football here with great players, stars of the game,” <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2023/1/20/23563505/roberto-firmino-im-happy-and-want-to-stay-at-liverpool-jurgen-klopp-mahchester-united-psg-chelsea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a> Firmino. “I’m happy here and I intend to stay here and help Liverpool FC. It’s a dream for all players to win the Premier League and Champions League.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Roberto Firmino will leave Liverpool on a free transfer at the end of the season — the decision has been made 🔴🇧🇷 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LFC</a><br><br>Firmino, grateful to Liverpool &amp; Klopp also for contract proposal but he feels it’s time for new challenge as revealed by <a href="https://twitter.com/Plettigoal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Plettigoal</a>.<br><br>Club &amp; Klopp, informed. <a href="https://t.co/DZ2iNXfFkO">pic.twitter.com/DZ2iNXfFkO</a></p>— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1631698059435311113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>“It’s history, a huge legacy. When it happened, we felt tremendously privileged, grateful to God for having given this to us.”</p>



<h2>Roberto Firmino was vital for Liverpool, fell in pecking order</h2>



<p>Nevertheless, it seems as if Firmino will soon be moving on. The striker has racked up an impressive 107 goals and 78 assists in 353 total games with the Reds. He was also instrumental in Liverpool’s <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/champions-league-tv-schedule/">Champions League</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/premier-league-tv-schedule/">Premier League</a> triumphs in 2019 and 2020, respectively.</p>



<p>The introductions of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/how-darwin-nunez-fits-into-an-already-loaded-liverpool-team-20220617-CMS-390012.html">Darwin Núñez</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/lets-talk-about-cody-gakpo-20221204-WST-411094.html">Cody Gakpo</a> have, however, hindered Firmino’s playing time this season. In fact, the Brazilian has managed just 11 total starts in the Premier League during the current campaign. He has not seen an appearance in Klopp’s starting XI since November in league play.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Sebastian Frej</em></p>


Roberto Firmino seems set to depart Liverpool in the summer. The Brazilian has been a vital piece to the puzzle on Merseyside since 2015.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "Roberto Firmino"

Jurgen Klopp

Klopp 'surprised' by Roberto Firmino wanting out of Liverpool

Brazil

Roberto Firmino to leave Liverpool at end of season, report says