Steven Gerrard now pushing to sign yet another Liverpool player to join him at Al Ettifaq.

Steven Gerrard now pushing to sign yet another Liverpool player to join him at Al Ettifaq.

Having taken over at the Saudi side over the summer, Gerrard wasted no time in looking to work with those who made their name at his old club.

Jordan Henderson was first through the door in a move that surprised just about everyone. Then, Stevie added his old midfield teammate Gini Wijnaldum to the pack.

And now, according to journalist Ben Jacobs, the Liverpool icon is attempting to make that three, with the signing of Roberto Firmino. Speaking on the The Debrief podcast yesterday, Jacobs assessed Firmino’s options this winter as he looks to leave Al Ahli.

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“Bobby Firmino is an interesting one because he’s not playing at Al Ahli,” explains the journalist. “I’m told from the Saudi dealmakers side, they’d rather keep him optics wise in Saudi until the end of the season, then Firmino might leave. A loan could be a possibility. Steven Gerrard’s Al Ettifaq are a genuine contender, but only if Al Ahli pay basically 100 per cent of the wages and if not that won’t be feasible.

“Al Shabab and even Slaven Bilic’s Al Fateh have looked. But it’s all about Firmino. Because there’s a break now he’ll assess. It wouldn’t remotely surprise me if there’s some MLS interest in Firmino, and we know that Turkey as well have looked at him in the past. So that could be for January but I sense if he is to exit Saudi he might have to wait until the summer.”

Firmino on the move again
Unfortunately for Firmino, things just haven’t worked out for him at Al Ahli. It was all going so well initially. After being made captain of the team, Bobby bagged a hat-trick on his competitive debut.

But now 19 games into the season, the Brazil international is yet to score again.

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Really, it’s hardly surprising that Bobby isn’t finding it easy over in Saudi Arabia. The crowds have been tiny for some games and for a showman like Liverpool’s former No.9, that’s hard to come to terms with.

We all saw how the 32-year-old’s form dipped during the games played without fans in 2020/21.

Roberto Firmino
Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images
He needs the crowd there and the atmosphere to be hot. Otherwise, from his point of view at least, what’s the point.

As a result, we’d be a little surprised to see Bobby stay in the Middle East beyond this season. As Jacobs points out though, it may be difficult to get a move away this month.

So, perhaps a move to Al Ettifaq would suit him in that respect. It’s true that Gerrard’s team are a much smaller draw than Al Ahli though and consequently seem to play in-front of even smaller attendances.

But at least Firmino would be with a couple of former Anfield teammates. He spent five years at Liverpool with Wijnaldum and eight playing alongside Henderson. These are his people. Either way, we’d just love to see Bobby with a smile back on his face. If Stevie can do that, then we’re all for it.

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Klopp’s squad in January to win a first Premier League title since 2020.
Premier League title race: Liverpool top standings at start of 2024
Liverpool could be tempted into building on the success of their summer window by continuing to spend in January. The Reds signed four midfielders ahead of the Premier League campaign, all of whom have impressed at Anfield. Express Sport looks at a dream scenario for Jurgen Klopp come February 1.

Keep Mohamed Salah

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That Salah jets off to the Africa Cup of Nations this month may actually prompt some relief at Anfield. The likelihood of a big-money transfer to Saudi Arabia seems unlikely while he seeks to atone for a devastating loss at AFCON with Egypt two years ago.

Salah is almost certain to depart Liverpool in the next couple of years. Staving off interest from the Middle East will no longer be as easy as it was in the summer, with the 31-year-old’s contract ticking into its final 12 months come July.

But there will still be a small sense of achievement if Liverpool manage to keep the winger beyond January. Their title chances rely on Salah remaining on Merseyside for the final months of the campaign.

Mohamed Salah celebrates
Keeping Mohamed Salah is Liverpool’s key to the Premier League title (Image: Getty)
£51m transfer

Joel Matip’s serious knee injury has left Jurgen Klopp without a centre-back, which was perhaps already the weakest area of his squad. The emergence of the 20-year-old Jarell Quansah has eased concerns, but Liverpool still need reinforcements in that position.

Virgil van Dijk, who turns 33 in July, only has a few more years at the top of his game. It would make sense for Liverpool to begin succession planning as early as possible.

A deal for Sporting Lisbon ace Goncalo Inacio, 22, would come at the bargain price of £51m due to a release clause in the Portuguese defender’s contract. With United and Chelsea also linked with Inacio, Liverpool should get in early and complete the transfer this month. It would be a repeat of the tactic that saw Liverpool bring forward plans to sign Cody Gakpo 12 months ago, and Luis Diaz in 2022.

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Goncalo Inacio
Liverpool have been linked with Goncalo Inacio but face competition for a £51m transfer (Image: Getty)
Weakening Man City

Kalvin Phillips might not have played much for Manchester City but luring the midfielder to Anfield still weakens Liverpool’s primary Premier League title rivals. Pep Guardiola already has a relatively small squad and any absence for Rodri has already proved it can halt City’s form.

Signing Phillips would mean Guardiola has even fewer options if Rodri is injured or suspended at any point in the second half of the season. Liverpool have been linked with a loan deal for the England midfielder, whose City career has failed to take off.

The 28-year-old has played just 379 minutes of Premier League football since joining the Treble winners from Leeds in the summer of 2022 – the equivalent of only four full matches. Liverpool need a defensive midfielder and acquiring Phillips on loan would not only strengthen Klopp’s squad, but weaken their main competition for the title.

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