Brazilian football legend Rivaldo has urged Liverpool star Roberto Firmino not to leave the club, despite his reduced playing time in recent months.
The signing of Portuguese forward Diogo Jota last summer and the recent arrival of Luis Diaz in January has seen Firmino’s role at Liverpool reduce.
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Firmino formed part of Liverpool’s formidable front three alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane as Jurgen Klopp’s side won the Premier League and Champions League.
However, the Reds have begun to rejuvenate their squad to help them in the future, meaning that Firmino has been linked with a move away from the club.
The forward is also out of contract at the end of next season, alongside Salah and Mane.
His fellow countryman Rivaldo has now urged him to remain at Anfield and battle back for his place in the starting XI.
Speaking to Betfair (via Daily Mirror), Rivaldo said: “Roberto Firmino has been losing out to Diogo Jota for starts at Liverpool and now Luis Diaz is another threat to his time on the pitch.
“Plenty of people are already saying that he should leave in the summer to not compromise his place in Brazil’s World Cup squad.
“But I disagree with that. Once he’s back from injury he should keep battling to recover his starting position at Liverpool because he still has the quality.
“Signing for a new club so close to the World Cup is a big risk with no guarantee that he will be a certain starter, so, I suppose the best for him is to stay in Liverpool and convince Jurgen Klopp again.”
Meanwhile, former Arsenal Paul Merson has praised Liverpool’s Diaz, but warned him that teams will now be focusing on him more.
“Luis Diaz has been so outstanding for Liverpool so far that he is already a marked man,” Merson wrote for The Daily Star.
“He’s come in and caught everybody on the hop. Defenders wouldn’t have watched him much or known much about him and he’s taken them by surprise.
“Now all of a sudden he’s on the radar and this is when you’ve got to produce. He’s in opposition team talks now.
“When teams are discussing how to set up against Liverpool and who to stop, it’s not just Mo Salah and Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota they’re talking about; it’s Luis Diaz.
“So it’s a different game for him now and this is where we are going to see what he’s made of. The top players carry it on.
“He will be a marked man. I don’t mean in a vicious way but teams will adjust and try to stop him.
“What I’ve seen so far, I’ve been majorly impressed. His first touch, his movement, his team play, his work ethic, finishing, his skills. Everything about him has been outstanding.”
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