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Liverpool have been linked to Roberto Firmino before. The club were linked to him briefly last summer, even. It’s never seemed an especially solid connection, though. Not compared to rumours he was all set to head to Manchester United that rumbled along steadily for weeks this summer.
Then, two days ago, the Brazilian press began to insist that he was likely to move to Liverpool. That a deal was nearly agreed. That Firmino favoured the move. By yesterday, the more reliable segments of the English press had confirmed talks were indeed underway and that Liverpool were confident a deal for Firmino could be done.
This morning, the club announced that a deal—believed to be worth £29M taking into account the £18M owed Hoffenheim as well as the need to buy out at least one third-party owner—had been done and that, pending a medical to be concluded following the Copa America, Roberto Firmino was a Liverpool player.
For those who perhaps don’t pay much attention to goings on outside of the confines of the Premier League, this is very, very good news. It is exciting news. It is Liverpool haven’t landed an attacking signing like this since they brought in Luis Suarez from Ajax news.
Firmino brings a similar frantic, determined excitement as the now departed Uruguayan, and as a Brazilian (at times) attacking midfielder there will be the inevitable comparisons to Philippe Coutinho. In a lot of ways, though, the sort of player he is and the role he will fill should have fans thinking Alexis Sanchez, the player meant to replace Luis Suarez last summer that in the end the club lost out on to Arsenal.
And if that isn’t enough to get you excited, perhaps a compilation of his best moments in 2014-15 will help.
Video by ScoutNation
