Jürgen Klopp on Roberto Firmino Contract Talks: “I Want Him to Stay”

Over the past month, reports emerged suggesting Liverpool and Roberto Firmino were at work on a potential new deal to keep one of the key players of the Jürgen Klopp era at the club beyond the end of the 2022-23 season.

For some, though, the arrival of 23-year-old Netherlands and PSV forward Cody Gakpo at least raised question marks about whether those negotiations were ongoing or if perhaps the situation had changed. Klopp, though, says it hasn’t.

“We have had talks with Bobby and from my point of view can say I definitely want him to stay,” Klopp noted. “It has no impact, not from me. If it affects Bobby then you’d have to ask him about that. But from my point of view, no.”

While the start to Liverpool’s season hasn’t gone quite as hoped, the now 31-year-old Firmino has been one of the bright spots, scoring seven goals and three assists in 13 league appearances and nine goals, four assists overall so far.

In the league, that has meant a goal involvement every 94 minutes. In the Premier League and Champions League combined, it’s been a goal involvement every 99 minutes. His importance and impact remains unquestionable.

Still, the signing of another attacker likely impacts his minutes moving forward, and while Klopp would ideally like the player to extend and a new deal is being discussed, at the end of the day Firmino will have to weigh up his options.