Jürgen Klopp believes Liverpool and Roberto Firmino will reap the benefits should the club secure the Brazil international on a new long-term contract.
Firmino’s deal runs until June 2020 but Liverpool have opened talks with the forward’s representatives over an extension that reflects his increased importance. Negotiations over a new contract for Sadio Mané are also under way.
The 26-year-old Firmino, who has scored 22 goals this season for Liverpool, recently claimed he wanted to spend “many years” at Anfield having seen Philippe Coutinho, the best man at his wedding last summer, leave for Barcelona. Klopp is determined to avoid another Coutinho saga and insists a new contract would help club and player given how Firmino has flourished under his tenure.
“It is very important for both sides,” the Liverpool manager said. “Everything we are doing, the way we play, the way we give him the opportunity constantly to play, he deserves that. He deserves that because his work rate is outstanding but it helped him a lot to step up.
“He became a different player here. Other teams can say: ‘Hmmm, he’s really good’ but it is not sure they will play the same way and use him as a nine or a 10 or they’ll use him out on the wings. It is never sure but it is important to keep these players who are at a good age and when there is still space for improvement.”
Klopp believes Liverpool have become more unpredictable since Coutinho’s departure as other players have taken responsibility for breaking down opponents, with Firmino chief among them.
He said: “You saw our games when Phil came deep in centre-mid. We didn’t want him to come deep all the time to be honest – it was more of a natural thing. If you play with three midfielders, you need two sixes and one who is more of a 10. With Phil we were giving him a four-yard pass and you don’t need that. Now we don’t have this dominant player – ‘Give it to me, give it to me, give it to me’ – that’s how it is.
“I don’t want this to be misunderstood. It was really good, that’s why Phil is the player he is, but now we play differently and not only because he is out. It is because the boys do so well.
“Roberto was always a dominant player; that’s why he drops into midfield and gets the ball and loses a few balls where you have a heart attack, but then he wins it back and starts an attack. It is not the biggest difference but there are a few decisive differences in the last few games. Maybe the biggest compliment is that nobody thought in the last few games: ‘With Phil it would have been different.’
“I really don’t want to throw dirt after Phil because there is no need and everything is fine, but it’s just normal. We played fantastic football with Phil as well. The team needed to step up without him.”
Klopp has promoted Andrew Robertson’s claims to become the captain of Scotland following Scott Brown’s retirement from international football. “Scotland cannot make a mistake choosing Robbo,” he said.
