Does Roberto Firmino have a future at Liverpool?

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Roberto Firmino is in the final 18 months of his current Liverpool contract. Like fellow forwards Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, Firmino’s current deal expires in June 2023.

Rumours and reports have indicated the Reds have been in the market to sell Firmino for the last year, yet all of those stories have turned out to be untrue. Despite the uncertainty over his future, Firmino once again showed in midweek why he is a vital member to Jurgen Klopp’s team.

Firmino came off of the bench to score Liverpool’s second goal following Diogo Jota’s opener. Although Jota has become first-choice over Firmino, the Brazilian is still needed, and his goals have been valuable to Liverpool’s push for four trophies this season.

The Liverpool No. 9 has nine goals in 25 games in all competitions this term with five of those coming in 16 Premier League matches. Firmino has also added three league assists. He averages a league goals every 157 minutes and a goal in all competitions every 151 minutes.

According to sources, Firmino is Liverpool’s joint-third highest paid player alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold. Only Virgil van Dijk, Thiago, and Mohamed Salah are paid more.

Firmino earns £180,000-per-week and having turned 30-years-old back in October 2021, it is unlikely Liverpool will offer him a similar deal to remain at the club for three or four more seasons.

The Brazilian is Liverpool’s fourth-leading scorer behind Salah, Jota, and Mane. His nine goals in all competitions are level with Takumi Minamino.

But it isn’t what Firmino is doing currently that is important in terms of a new contract. Liverpool’s new sporting director, Julian Ward, will be looking at what the Brazilian can do next season and the season after.

Liverpool have previously shown that letting a big name or popular player go isn’t a problem. The Reds allowed the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Adam Lallana, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Alberto Moreno to leave on free transfers in recent seasons.

At one time, all of those players were key to Liverpool’s fight for trophies. The Reds have moved on from each of those players and they can do the same from Firmino. However, if the club want to keep continuity, they may offer the Brazilian a new deal.

Wijnaldum is a perfect example of the grass not being greener elsewhere. He chose not to resign for the money Liverpool offered allowing Wijnaldum to join Paris Saint-Germain.

Now, while Firmino and the Reds are battling for four trophies, Wijnaldum is playing sparingly in Paris and trying to win Ligue 1.

Firmino has been a major player for Liverpool since arriving. He has 96 goals and 73 assists in 317 games in all competitions. Yet, turning 31 in October 2022, could see Liverpool chose to replace him rather than to let the squad grow any older.