Firmino is 'heart and soul' of Liverpool team - Klopp wants 'essential' Brazilian to stay

Roberto Firmino has been a key player for Liverpool over the years but he has entered the final year of his current deal.

This has led to reports that Juventus are targeting the striker and have already bid in excess of £20m.

Jurgen Klopp has claimed he wants his man to stay at Anfield but there are still question marks with Firmino able to sign pre-contracts with another club from January.

There is no doubt in Klopp's mind about Firmino staying at the club that he's been at since 2015.

Firmino is the 'heart and soul'

Klopp has waxed lyrical about Firmino making it clear that he wants him to stay revealing how important the Brazilian international is to this Liverpool squad.

“Bobby is crucial for us,” the boss told his pre-FA Community Shield press conference in Austria on Thursday. “Bobby is [the] heart and soul of this team.

“The way we played in the last few years was only possible because of Bobby. That’s why I’m really happy he could train the majority of the time here in the pre-season so far and everything looks really good.

“I am absolutely fine and, for me, there’s no doubt about his quality. All the rest, we will see how this year goes, but yes, he is essential for us.”

Latest reports on Firmino

Italian media source Corriere dello Sport claim that a fee of £19m has been agreed between the Reds and Juventus, with Firmino now closing in on a move to Turin.

Firmino leaving is rather unlikely unless a bigger fee comes in for the Brazilian, however, the Reds will have less to bargain with given his contract runs out next summer.

Selling Firmino would leave Liverpool with Darwin Nunez as the only fit striker, given Diogo Jota is ruled out for the start of the season at least.