Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said he was “a little surprised” by Roberto Firmino’s decision to leave the club at the end of the season, but he wants the Brazilian forward’s eight-year Anfield career to end on a high note.
Since joining Liverpool from Hoffenheim in June 2015, Firmino has helped the club win the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, andClub World Cup, among other major titles.
“Surprised? Yes, a little bit – it could go two ways and it went one. And I respect that a lot,” Klopp told reporters on Friday. “But it’s completely normal in this kind of long relationship that we have and Bobby has with the club.
He told me and then the only other thing he said is, ‘Now I want to bring this wonderful story to a positive end’.”
Firmino, 31, has scored 108 goals in more than 350 games in all competitions and was part of a potent attacking trio with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, who left for Bayern Munich last June, that helped Liverpool win the 2019-20 league title.
“I loved the reception he got when he came on against United,” Klopp said. “He is completely here and completely committed, and that’s all we need to know.
“There’s no time for a goodbye or whatever in this moment, there’s enough time for that later in the season. He’s one of these players that even when he would come with an opposition team, people would be really happy to see him.”
Liverpool, fifth in the league with 42 points, travel to bottom club Bournemouth on Saturday.
