Roberto Firmino Falls Out of Favor at Al Ahli 1 Year After Leaving Liverpool, Per Reports

The summer of 2023 witnessed a significant influx of soccer stars heading to Saudi Arabia. This migration was inspired by the footsteps of legends like Cristiano Ronaldo. Among the list of Middle Eastern transfers was Liverpool star Roberto Firmino, who moved to Al Ahli. While it has been just months since he arrived in the Gulf country, the Brazilian is already being forced by his club to leave. 

Notably, the former Liverpool man was joined by his fellow Premier League rivals, Riyadh Mahrez, Edouard Mendy, and Allan Saint-Maximin. But it seems Firmino is the one who is on the verge of facing the axe. 

Al Ahli wants to get rid of Roberto Firmino

Roberto Firmino joined Al Ahli in July 2023 from Liverpool on a free transfer. The Brazilian was touted to regain the lost stardom in the Middle East that he once had at Anfield. While the Jeddah-based club was also looking forward to seeing their new signing shine, things have actually gone south for the player.

As per the reports from Kooora, an insider from Al Ahli club reportedly confirmed that the management is exploring options to either sell or loan Roberto Firmino to teams in the Roshn Saudi League. According to a source within Al-Ahli Jeddah, the club’s administration aims to part ways with Firmino to make room for a new foreign player in the upcoming winter transfer period. 

https://twiter.com/ActuSPL/status/1733870523514335663?s=20

Earlier, reports suggested that Firmino himself wanted to make a return to Europe after enduring a dismal start to the campaign. Despite scoring a hat-trick on his debut against Al-Hazm, he hasn’t managed to score since in his other 15 appearances. Either way, it’s sad to see that things didn’t turn out the way Firmino would have wished. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli already has a replacement for the 32-year-old striker in their mind. 

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Al Ahli’s replacement for Roberto Firmino 

According to reports, Al-Ahli is looking to replace Roberto Firmino by securing the services of Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski in the upcoming transfer window. The club firmly believes that Firmino is not the optimal fit for the number nine position, identifying Lewandowski as a potential replacement.

Yet persuading Lewandowski to depart Barcelona is expected to pose a considerable challenge. The player expresses satisfaction with his current stint at Nou Camp and has already turned down the opportunity to relocate to Saudi Arabia. Let’s see what happens come the transfer window. 

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