Roberto Firmino tipped as the ‘first one to go’ as Liverpool face transfer headache
Pep Lijnders gives Liverpool team news ahead of Norwich clash
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Roberto Firmino has been tipped as the first of Liverpool’s famous front three to depart as Jurgen Klopp faces a major transfer decision. The Brazilian has formed a devastating relationship with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane but each are into the final two years of their contracts.
All three forwards will be 30 by the start of next season and it seems likely that fresher faces will be brought in soon.
Firmino’s own contributions have waned in recent years. He has scored just nine goals in each of his last two Premier League campaigns.
A hamstring injury suffered against Chelsea last month has hampered his 2021-22 season so far.
Meanwhile, Salah and Mane have meanwhile started the new term in good form. They both scored in the weekend’s 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.
Salah has registered four goals in five appearances while Mane has struck three. They have played alongside Diogo Jota in Firmino’s absence.
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And former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino believes that Klopp has a difficult decision to make over the futures of his usual front three. The contracts of Firmino, Salah and Mane all expire in 2023.
It has been widely reported that talks over fresh terms for Salah are ongoing but there has been little news about his colleagues.
Cascarino believes Firmino could be moved on first as his form has not quite been as good as the other two strikers.
“All three of them, Firmino, Salah and Mane have played a high level of football, over a number of seasons,” Cascarino told talkSPORT.
“It was who was going to have the knock-on season.
“I would say Firmino didn’t have the season we know he is capable of – Salah was the best of the three last season.
“Maybe Jota coming into the club upset the dynamics of the three in some bizarre way because Jurgen played him, at times. He came in and hit the ground running.
“Certainly one will go, it will be who will be the first one to go? At this moment in time, it looks like Firmino.”
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Firmino has missed Liverpool’s last two matches with a hamstring injury he suffered in the club’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea late last month.
Reds assistant Pep Lijnders has ruled him out of the club’s Carabao Cup tie with Norwich City on Tuesday evening.
“We have Bobby, who will do parts of team training but also not ready,” Lijnders told reporters on Monday.
“But [he is] progressing well. And Neco [Williams] is progressing well as well. [Norwich] also comes too early.”
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