This Liverpool team is arguably the best in the world right now.
Their Club World Cup win gives them the right to say that officially anyway, but their performances over the past 12 to 18 months have cemented that. They are the current European champions, of course, whilst they currently lead the Premier League table by no less than 13 points with a game in hand. They have not lost a league match for over a year – let that sink in for a second.
Should Jurgen Klopp’s men lift the title for the first time in 30 years this term, they will go down in history. Beyond May, though, changes will need to be made to this squad if they wish to stay at the top of the pile for the foreseeable future.
That could mean some of their star players leaving as well, and there have already been some rumours as to who could be off during the summer. According to fichajes.net (via calciomercato.com), Real Madrid are looking to sign centre-forward Roberto Firmino as a replacement for Karim Benzema.
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The Brazil international has been a fantastic player for the Reds. His work-rate and teamwork have often been commended, and he has also been able to chip in with a regular stream of goals – he has at least 10 strikes in each Premier League season he has participated in.
However, this term, the goals have dried up a little. A good second half of December took his tally up to nine for the season in all competitions, but before that he managed just four in 25 matches. Whilst Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah have taken up the goalscoring mantle – they have 27 between this term to date – the centre-forward should be contributing more than the former Hoffenheim man currently is.
Currently valued at £81m by Transfermarkt, he would still bring in a hefty fee. At 28 years of age, though, that price will only decrease as he approaches his thirties. Liverpool are not bankrolled like the likes of Manchester City – in this year’s Premier League, 13 teams have a bigger net-spend over the last five years than the Reds, a table which the Citizens top – and therefore they need to move players on to sign replacements. It is not as though there are not attractive options out there: Timo Werner, a reported Liverpool target – and with a release clause of under £30m – has one more assist than Firmino this season as well as 15 more goals.
All of this is not to undervalue what Firmino has contributed at Anfield. But the time is now right to say thank you and goodbye. If Los Merengues are willing to take him to the Santiago Bernabeu, Klopp and Co should take their potential offer into deep consideration.
Elsewhere, Liverpool should sell this £25m man in the summer.