With Liverpool in decline this season, Jurgen Klopp may have to make the painful decision to replace forward Roberto Firmino.
Firmino’s goal record leaves more to be desired every week. Yes, he is the glue that knits Liverpool’s attack together. However with the need to regenerate after four years playing together, Roberto Firmino makes the most sense to sell.
Dortmund sensation Erling Braut Haland will be available soon, and an upgrade like that could rejuvenate Liverpool’s ailing attack.
Make no mistake, replacing Roberto Firmino would be acutely painful for Jurgen Klopp. Ever since he arrived at Anfield, Klopp has loved Firmino like a son. Watch any post match interview over the last few years. Every time Klopp is asked about the goalscoring feats of either Salah or Mane, Klopp has been at pains to point out that Firmino is the one who made it all possible.
Read: Mesut Ozil Has The Chance To Rescue His Legacy In Turkey
The Brazilian would be an inevitable sacrifice in service of conventional football wisdom. All football teams run on three-year cycles. The great teams, if they want to remain great, have to refresh after this period.
It would be a shock if Liverpool didn’t finish in the top two of the Premier League this year. However, they are clearly not the force they have been in previous years.
Read: Leeds United Could Arrest Slump At Newcastle
David Villa, Lionel Messi and Pedro were one of the best front threes in Barcelona’s history. They played three years, before being replaced by the Neymar, Suarez and Messi iteration.
Salah, Firmino and Mane have been playing together for four years now. Considering Salah and Mane never get a rest, Firmino needs to step up when they’re not performing and he doesn’t.
With Liverpool at a turning point, Jurgen Klopp may have to bid farewell to his favoured son.
