Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has suggested that he is confident of having Roberto Firmino available for the Premier League opener with West Ham United.
Firmino has spent part of the summer representing Brazil at the World Cup but after a break, the forward has now returned to Merseyside to begin pre-season training.
Liverpool only have two friendlies remaining before the start of the top flight, but Klopp has indicated that Firmino should be available to face the Hammers.
The German is quoted by Sky Sports News as saying: “It’s good to have him here, he looks in good shape, and if possible we will see if he can play against Napoli.
“Training for the outfield players is obviously different than for the goalies, but we want to see him as well against Napoli. We will see for how long. When we start against West Ham, he will have had then two weeks after three weeks off, it should be possible but we will see until then.”
Firmino contributed 15 goals and seven assists in 37 Premier League games last season. He scored one goal in Brazil’s dissapointing World Cup run in Russia.
Firmino signed with Hoffenheim in December 2010, with the contract running until June 2015. He formally arrived at Hoffenheim on 1 January 2011.Then Hoffenheim manager Ernst Tanner commented that they were “pleased to hire a Brazilian talent”. He made his debut a month later in a Bundesliga defeat against Mainz, where he came on as a 75th-minute substitute for Sebastian Rudy. He scored his first goal for the club on 16 April, the only goal of a league victory against Eintracht Frankfurt.
On 23 June 2015, while he was competing for Brazil at the Copa América, Hoffenheim and Firmino agreed terms for him to transfer to Premier League club Liverpool for up to £29 million on conclusion of the tournament, subject to a work permit. Liverpool confirmed the signing the following day, subject to a medical.
At Hoffenheim, Firmino primarily played as an attacking midfielder, but was also utilised as a forward, winger or central midfielder, with Firmino using his speed, close control and vision wherever he is deployed.After initially starting as a left winger at Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers, new manager Jurgen Klopp utilised Firmino more centrally, initially as a False 9. However, after impressing under Klopp’s pressing system, Firmino established himself as Liverpool’s first choice centre-forward by the 2017–18 season.
Ryan Babel, a teammate of Firmino’s at Hoffenheim, described him as “A tricky player. He can dribble, shoot, he has a great shot, he can play a lot of through balls and his assists are very good”, while also praising a heading ability which would not be common amongst other players of Firmino’s stature. Babel also stated that Firmino had a humble mentality and no problems with attitude.
Klopp has referred to Firmino as the “engine” that propels the team’s relentless counter-attacking system; “If he loses the ball, he fights for it back. If he loses it again, he fights for it. He looks like the engine of the team.” The suitability of Firmino’s playing style to Klopp’s pressing system has meant that Firmino has been referred to as “Liverpool’s most important player” on several occasions during the 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons.