Liverpool can punish Chelsea clause mistake when replacing Firmino

Work will now seemingly begin on replacing Liverpool’s irreplaceable attacker Roberto Firmino – the glue that has knitted Jurgen Klopp’s all-conquering juggernaut together during his historic Anfield tenure. Reports from Sky Germany emerged late on Friday morning, declaring the Brazilian has disclosed to Klopp that he will be leaving Anfield at the end of his current contract which is due to expire in June.

Firmino is keen to pursue a new challenge and open a new chapter with his family after eight years on Merseyside and while he is yet to agree his next move, it seems Liverpool now have to move on from their brilliant Bobby dazzler.

Replacing him will be no mean feat given Firmino is such a unique talent, who has provided the benchmark for operating as a false-nine. There are a few that can do it, let alone to the same devastation as the former Hoffenheim forward.

Nonetheless, although it’s a possibility, it seems somewhat unlikely that Liverpool will stick to their guns and persist with just the five senior attackers in Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo next season – opening the door to further recruits.

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It could be music to the ears of Atletico, also. There’s an acceptance Felix will be sold and their priority is now to drive an auction for the Portugal international to maximise any fee they receive.

Felix has shown huge glimpses of his talent in an unflattering Chelsea side and the prospect of linking up with Klopp would surely prove to be an opportunity worth some form of consideration.

Liverpool are renowned for their rock-and-roll attacking football and Felix is the kind of orchestrator that could inject some fresh excitement into their depleted project.

The 23-year-old operates in similar areas to Firmino and can play as a secondary striker or false-nine. He thrives on linking the play and also has a knack of finishing moves inside the box – something that was a rarity during his time with Atletico due to Diego Simeone’s rigid football.

There is of course every chance Felix will feel settled at Chelsea but all the while the Blues are failing to deliver results, there is an uneasy feeling around Stamford Bridge as to what could happen in the summer.

The main issue Liverpool will have is the price tag. Their funds are likely to be limited this summer and with the club in desperate need of reinvestment, they cannot afford to blow mammoth fees on luxury additions.

Klopp’s midfield will be the priority and his defence is also in need of a spruce up following the recent struggles of both Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, respectively.

Given Atletico paid Benfica a whopping £113m for Felix in the summer of 2019, they will be keen to recoup whatever they can for the generational Portuguese talent and despite his inconsistent form, his value has hardly dropped.

That’s why it could prove to be a masterstroke from Atletico when blocking the potential inclusion of a permanent clause while negotiating his loan to Chelsea. If Liverpool are bold enough to enter the fray, Felix could prove to be the perfect replacement for Firmino.