Roberto Firmino: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp 'little bit surprised' by striker's decision to leave

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Roberto Firmino's extremity against Manchester United was his archetypal since netting successful a 3-1 triumph implicit Southampton connected 12 November

Liverpool brag Jurgen Klopp says helium was "surprised" by Roberto Firmino's decision to permission Anfield astatine the extremity of the season.

The Brazil guardant volition extremity an eight-year enactment astatine Anfield erstwhile his declaration expires successful June.

Firmino, 31, had been successful talks implicit a caller declaration but has chosen to leave.

"Surprised? Yes, a small spot - it could spell 2 ways and it went one. And I respect that a lot," Klopp said connected Friday.

"But it's wholly mean successful this benignant of agelong narration that we person and Bobby has with the club."

Firmino scored 7 goals successful 13 Premier League games anterior to the interruption for the World Cup but suffered a calf wounded that kept him retired for 2 months pursuing the home restart.

He returned successful February's derby triumph implicit Everton but has been constricted to 5 substitute appearances with January signing Cody Gakpo preferred up beforehand alongside Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah.

However, helium came disconnected the seat to people Liverpool's last extremity - and his 108th successful 354 Reds appearances - successful the 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United connected Sunday.

"I loved the reception helium got erstwhile helium came connected against United," said Klopp, who added that the striker had told him helium present wanted "to bring this fantastic communicative to a affirmative end".

Liverpool person won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, EFL Cup and Club World Cup during Firmino's clip astatine Anfield, and helium tin expect an affectional send-off successful Liverpool's last location crippled of the play against Aston Villa connected 20 May.

"There's nary clip for a goodbye oregon immoderate successful this moment, there's capable clip for that aboriginal successful the season," Klopp added.

"Whenever helium volition travel back, everybody knows that the opus [Reds fans' Bobby Firmino chant] volition inactive beryllium for a long, agelong clip successful everybody's ears.

"I deliberation he's 1 of these players that adjacent erstwhile helium would travel with an absorption team, radical would beryllium truly blessed to spot him."

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