Roberto Firmino sends touching message as Fabinho shares shock reaction to Liverpool forward’s…

Welcome to your Liverpool FC morning digest for Friday, May 26.

Roberto Firmino sends new emotional message after ‘incredible’ Liverpool farewell

Roberto Firmino has thanked Liverpool supporters for the “incredible” reception he was granted after the Reds’ final Anfield game of the season against Aston Villa on Saturday.

Earlier this year, the Brazilian revealed he would be ending his eight-year stay on Merseyside to pursue a new chapter in his career upon the expiration of his contract. It comes after winning the Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup, Premier League, League Cup, FA Cup and Community Shield during a glittering career at Anfield.

And after scoring a last-gasp equaliser against Unai Emery’s side on Saturday, Firmino, alongside fellow Anfield departees Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and vice-captain James Milner, was afforded an emotional farewell by the 54,000 Kopties packed inside of Anfield, before celebrating his extraordinary career with the Reds during a private party with his family, friends and team-mates some 24 hours later.

Writing on Instagram to his 14.7m followers on Thursday, the 31-year-old thanked Reds supporters for the celebration of his career over the weekend, which coincided with the unveiling of a mural on Rockfield Road.

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Fabinho reveals Liverpool squad shock at Roberto Firmino decision after contract pleas

Fabinho admits he was shocked by compatriot Roberto Firmino’s decision to leave Liverpool.

The Brazilian forward has called time on his glittering eight-year stay with the Reds. His last game for the club comes this weekend when Jurgen Klopp’s side travel to already-relegated Southampton.

Firmino, whose contract runs out this summer, will leave Liverpool in no doubt about how much he is adored by his team-mates and supporters. That much was clear on Saturday before and after he fittingly scored the Reds’ equaliser in the 1-1 home draw with Aston Villa. It was the 31-year-old’s final appearance at Anfield.

Firmino will be followed out of the Reds exit door by fellow Champions League and Premier League winners James Milner, Alex Oxalde-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, who also see their contracts expire next month.

But it’s arguably the talismanic forward’s impending departure that has brought the most outpouring of emotion. And Fabinho, in an interview with Sky Sports News, has admitted Firmino’s exit has surprised the squad.

Read the full story by clicking HERE.

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Liverpool ace Salah: I’m totally devastated; absolutely no excuse

Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah was left floored after their top four failure was confirmed last night.

Manchester United’s 4-1 rout of Chelsea confirmed their Champions League qualification and ended Liverpool’s hopes in the process.

Salah posted to social media in the aftermath: “I’m totally devastated. There’s absolutely no excuse for this. We had everything we needed to make it to next year’s Champions League and we failed.

“We are Liverpool and qualifying to the competition is the bare minimum. I am sorry but it’s too soon for an uplifting or optimistic post.

“We let you and ourselves down.”

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Liverpool’has cut Mason Mount transfer alternative’as $50m star can take Cody Gakpo path

As the transfer window fast approaches, Jürgen Klopp faces the task of revamping his squad following an inconsistent season. Signing one Eredivisie star could be the perfect alternative to one top target and prove shrewd business for Liverpool.

Anfield’s recruitment chiefs will be all too aware by now that the Reds probably require at least three fresh additions in midfield in the summer, especially given the impending departures of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keïta. A number of potential options have been mooted by observers in recent months, however supporters will be hoping the club avoids a repeat of last year, with indecision having cost Liverpool significantly last summer.

One may recall that the Reds failed to line up an alternative to Aurélien Tchouaméni in that instance, before eventually bringing in Arthur Melo on a season-long loan on deadline day after a poor and injury-hit start to the season forced their hand. Now, with Mason Mount having possibly decided to move elsewhere, it now feels more important than ever that the right calls are made this time around.

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In an interview with Sky Sports News, The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed that the England midfielder has expressed a preference for a move to Manchester United this summer, with fellow suitors Liverpool and Bayern Munich both aware of his choice. With this in mind, therefore, it would seem remiss of the Merseysiders to not move swiftly on with business ahead of what could prove to be a pivotal few months.

According to Football Transfers, one alternative option that may be of interest to Klopp is Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus, with the 22-year-old having experienced something of a breakout year for Dutch giant this term. The eye-catching attacking midfielder has found his goal-scoring touch for the four-time European champion, scoring 18 times and notching six assists this season.

One imagines that his price tag of $50m (£40m/€46m), as per The Athletic, would not put a club of Liverpool’s standing off either, especially when considering that Chelsea will likely demand a fee of double this for Mount. Furthermore, with Cody Gakpo having excelled since moving to Anfield from PSV Eindhoven in January, Klopp will likely feel confident that Kudus could also successfully make the transition to life in the Premier League.

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Looking closer at the 23-time international’s statistics from the past year, it becomes clear that he is a player who is ready to make the step up to one of Europe’s big five leagues. As per FBref, Kudus has been one of the best midfield players across the world’s ‘next eight’ competitions — the leagues adjudged to be just below Europe’s big five leagues in terms of standard. Within this peer group, he ranks in the top one per cent of performers in his position for successful take-ons, non-penalty expected goals (xg) and pass completion.

On top of this, the former Nordsjælland trainee was in the top three per cent for touches in the opposition penalty area, by the same measure. Effectively, Kudus has been unplayable in the final third this season, while his output as an attacking midfielder has been as good as anyone’s outside of Europe’s big five leagues. Again, Gakpo is instructive in deciding to what extent output in the Eredivisie might be scalable.

Klopp and his staff have earned a reputation for making smart buys in the transfer market down the years and it is clear that this attacking midfielder could well prove to be a cost-effective Mount alternative. Missing out on the Chelsea star’s signature could be a blow at first but Kudus has shown enough talent this season to indicate that he may well have an equally bright future in the game.

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