Liverpool have reportedly turned down an offer from Juventus for Roberto Firmino, with Jurgen Klopp hinting at keeping the striker on board at Anfield.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Liverpool have turned down an offer from Juventus for Brazilian striker Roberto Firmino, as the Serie A giants continue their search for a new forward. Additionally, Jurgen Klopp has hinted at keeping hold of the Brazilian international after losing Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich.
Juventus are eager to bring in a new attacker ahead of the 2022/23 season and have several targets in mind. Their primary objective was to renegotiate a deal with Atletico Madrid for Alvaro Morata, having refused to trigger the purchase option clause in the Spanish striker’s loan deal.
While there are ongoing talks for Morata, Juventus are keeping alternative targets on their list, with a few Premier League-based forwards on their radar. Timo Werner has emerged as another option for the Serie A giants, although Chelsea are keen on retaining the German international beyond the summer transfer window.
The other target for Juventus is Roberto Firmino, who has a year left on his deal with Liverpool. Last season, the 30-year-old was not a regular for the Reds, starting only 17 games across all competitions. He scored some crucial goals in the process, but the arrival of Luis Diaz from FC Porto in January curtailed his overall involvement.
Klopp denies rumours on Firmino set to leave Liverpool: “Bobby is crucial for us, the heart and soul of this team”. ??? #LFC
“Everything looks really good and I am absolutely fine with Firmino. For me, no doubt about his quality, so yes, he is essential for us”. pic.twitter.com/sWUIeWaHJE
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 28, 2022
The addition of Darwin Nunez is expected to further push Firmino down the pecking order, with Jurgen Klopp already suggesting who his front three will be next season. The Brazilian forward could endure another season as a bench option, but the Liverpool manager hinted at the striker’s importance in the team. The Reds were always keen to keep hold of the forward despite the growing interest.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo ahead of Saturday’s Community Shield tie against Manchester City, Klopp hinted at keeping hold of Firmino beyond the summer. The Liverpool boss said, “Bobby (Firmino) is cruical for us. He is the heart and soul of this team. Everything looks really good. He is essential for us.”
Despite recent reports from Italy suggesting Juventus and Liverpool were holding advanced talks for the transfer of Firmino, the same publication now suggests the Merseyside giants have turned down an offer from the Serie A giants. The bid was worth around £19 million, with earlier stories suggesting Firmino was open to joining Juventus.
The Brazilian could consider his Liverpool future, as he could find ample game time in Italy. However, he is reportedly happy at Anfield and wants to continue donning the red shirt. As things stand, Juventus will likely continue their search for a new striker ahead of the new season and possibly even come back with an improved offer for Firmino. Werner and Morata remain firmly on their list, with Massimiliano Allegri eager to strengthen his strike force before the window shuts.
