Man Utd Blow As Liverpool Close To Signing £17.9m Attacker On 5-Year Contract

As the opening of the summer transfer window approaches, managers are working hard identifying targets and lining-up potential deals so we’ll bring you all the news and gossip. Today, Liverpool close in on Firmino….

Liverpool are now firmly in pole position to beat Manchester United to the signing of Roberto Firmino in a deal worth £17.9m with the attacker set to sign a five-year contract, according to the Express.

Firmino has just come off the back of another impressive campaign in Germany that saw him score 10 goals and provide a further 12 assists for a very average Hoffenheim side that finished eighth in the Bundesliga table.

This impressive form has attracted interest from the Premier League with the Daily Star reporting earlier this month that Firmino was all-set for a move to Manchester United after they had supposedly agreed terms over his signature, and there was even talk of the player preparing to undergo a medical.

However, those reports turned out to be wide of the mark and it appears the 23-year-old could now be heading to Anfield instead as the Express are citing reports coming out of Brazil that claim Liverpool are closing in on the forward’s signature.

The news originates from Brazilian outlet Globoesporte, who claim that although United remain interested, it’s Liverpool who are in pole position as the Merseysiders are understood to be closing-in on a deal worth £17.9m with Firmino expected to sign a five-year contract.

It’s always difficult to know how much truth there is behind these transfer stories but if Liverpool could pull this off, it would be something of a coup as Firmino is one of the most exciting young attackers in European football right now.

Brendan Rodgers certainly need to add striking reinforcements to his squad after seeing his players register just 52 league goals last season and the South American would provide a real creative spark in the final third.

He has all the tricks you’d expect from a Brazilian international but he also has the end product to match, so I’m sure he’d be warmly welcomed by the Anfield faithful if they could wrap-up this deal.

However, I don’t think United will give up without a fight as Louis van Gaal needs to bring in another forward after rejecting the chance to sign Radamel Falcao on a permanent basis, and a player like Firmino would be a useful addition at Old Trafford.

READ MORE –> Liverpool transfer news | Man Utd transfer news

The attacker is currently away on international duty at the Copa America, so I don’t think we’ll find out a final decision over his future until Brazil’s participation in the tournament is over, but it’s certainly going to be interesting to see where Firmino ends up this summer.