Although this campaign has largely been a season to forget for Liverpool, one player who will be glad to see the back of it more than most is striker Roberto Firmino.
READ MORE: Chelsea ready to accept £40million to let star seal transfer away
Having failed to score in all of this season’s cup competitions, including the Champions League, and managing just six Premier League goals, Firmino has endured one of his worst campaigns to date.
According to former player, turned pundit, Noel Whelan, who spoke exclusively to Football Insider, he believes Jurgen Klopp could soon lose patience in his Brazilian forward.
Having signed Diogo Jota from Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer, Whelan feels the Portuguese striker is a far better option.
“Liverpool have already found their replacement for Firmino,” Whelan said. “It is Jota.
“He can do that job. He is more effective when it comes to goal involvements. He will get more goals and assists more than Firmino. Quite frankly, Jota is a better player than Firmino now.
“Those stats will be worrying for Jurgen Klopp but he has other options and there is competition there.
“A player of Firmino’s ability, playing in a Liverpool side that is full of great players, should definitely be scoring more, 100 per cent.”
Since arriving and although initially hampered by a nasty knee injury, Jota has featured in 27 games and already racked up 12 goals, in competitions.
Jota’s debuting numbers at Liverpool are in stark contrast with Firmino’s and with two years left on his current deal, perhaps a move for the South American could be a solution to all parties’ problems.
Do you think Firmino will leave Liverpool in the near future? – Let us know in the comments.