When Roberto Firmino’s contract expired last summer, Liverpool let him go. In Saudi Arabia, things got off to a good start but suddenly went south, so he was free to relocate.
After leaving Anfield as a legend in the summer, former Liverpool star Roberto Firmino has had difficulty establishing himself in Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian may now decide to make the unpopular move back to the Premier League.
Like Jordan Henderson, Firmino would be willing to quit and go back to Europe because he has not adapted to life in the Middle East. Along with Allan Saint-Maximin, Gabri Veiga, and Riyad Mahrez, he plays for Al Ahli. In just 17 appearances, he has only scored three goals, and he hasn’t started a game since October.
“In his parting speech in May, I insisted that God wasn’t calling me to stay in Liverpool, but I was.” “I didn’t pay attention. But I was unable to escape it any longer. Now was the moment to give in. I made the decision that it was time to look for a new challenge and purpose for myself. I had reached the end of my stay at Liverpool.”
Firmino might be moving again now that things haven’t worked out. The Telegraph claims that Chelsea may be a possibility for the forward, with a possible loan agreement to bring him to Stamford Bridge in the works.
The former striker for Real Madrid, Karim Benzema, is reportedly another player Chelsea is considering. He would also like to go out of the Saudi Pro League as he is not doing well there.
According to Liverpool.com, Firmino wearing a Chelsea jersey would be unsettling for fans of Liverpool and would not be a popular transition. Playing against him would be quite strange as well. However, the Brazilian is one of the growing number of athletes who relocated to Saudi Arabia only to later regret doing so. Though there are several red flags for celebrities thinking about moving there in search of a large salary before the summer, it will be interesting to watch how things progress in the area.
The money will undoubtedly remain excellent, but the experience hasn’t always been that way overall. For players like Firmino and Henderson, it was easy to forecast that, and with their salary, it will be difficult to find an escape route. Someone would have to be prepared to pay at least most of Firmino’s present salary package—which is expected to be very substantial—should he go on loan.
