Liverpool set to open talks with striker over new contract

Liverpool travel to London on Sunday to face Tottenham Hotspur in a match that could go a long way towards deciding which teams finish in the top four at the end of the season. 

With just two Premier League game weeks remaining before domestic top flight football is halted to allow for the World Cup, both The Reds and Spurs will be desperate to ensure they win the game and go into the mid-season break in good form.

Liverpool currently sit ninth in the table, ten points behind their opponents, following disappointing defeats to both Nottingham Forest and Leeds United in their last two league games.

Despite their poor start to the season, The Reds are reportedly set to enter into talks with one of their current stars in the hope of agreeing a contract extension.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool will begin negotiations with Roberto Firmino soon, in the hope that the striker will agree to extend his current deal with the club.

The report claims that the club will aim to begin talks during the upcoming mid-season break for the World Cup.

Firmino, 31, is currently set to be out of contract at the end of the season, however his superb individual start to the campaign has persuaded Liverpool bosses to offer him an extension.

Klopp wants Firmino to stay put at Anfield

The Brazil international has scored eight goals and provided four assists in 17 games across the Premier League and Champions League so far this term.

He has been particularly impressive in the league, scoring braces against both Bournemouth and Brighton and also netting against Arsenal and Newcastle United.

Firmino has been integral to Klopp’s side’s success in recent years, but the arrival of Darwin Nunez over the summer did threaten to reduce his playing time.

He started only ten league games last year, but he could surpass that tally this term by the time that Premier League pauses if he starts each of Liverpool’s next two matches.

Klopp is believed to be a huge admirer of the player still, however he may have to agree to a salary reduction if he does wish to stay in Merseyside, as the club’s owners are unlikely to agree to extend his current £180,000-per-week deal.

Firmino joined Liverpool from German side Hoffenheim in 2015 and has since played 345 times for The Reds, scoring 106 goals across all competitions.

The player was part of Liverpool’s iconic front three – alongside Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah – that propelled them to Champions League glory in 2019 and the Premier League title the following season.