Transfer News: Liverpool could swap Roberto Firmino for Barcelona star Memphis Depay in January
According to Futbol Total via Fanaticos (h/t The Liverpool Echo), Liverpool and Barcelona appear to be exploring a swap deal that will see Roberto Firmino and Memphis Depay move the other way.
Firmino has been with Liverpool since 2015 and joined the Reds the same summer that Depay moved to Old Trafford. While the latter failed to impress, the former developed into a major star for Jurgen Klopp’s side and has been instrumental to their success.
The Brazilian star still has much to offer but is not the player he once was. He will turn 31 in a few days’ time and the Reds need to make plans to replace him sooner rather than later.
Klopp and co appear to be keen to bring in another attacker in January and Depay has been mooted as a potential addition. The Dutchman has fallen down the pecking order at Barcelona and was close to leaving the club earlier this summer.
Both Firmino and Depay have one year left on their contracts at Liverpool and Barcelona respectively. Neither club are willing to lose their players for free and a swap deal would offer them a way out.
As things stand, the idea has not quite gained steam and is yet to take shape in terms of talks or negotiations or discussions between both teams. With the January transfer window just a couple of months away, it remains to be seen if this news has any substance.
Firmino lost his spot in the starting XI to Diogo Jota last season and now also has Darwin Nunez to contend with. However as he has shown this season, there is still much that the veteran can bring to the table.
Depay certainly is a good player and will be an asset to Liverpool should he move to Merseyside. However, losing Firmino to bring him in might not be in our best interests.
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With Sadio Mane departing for Bayern Munich earlier this year, Liverpool’s famed front three is no more. With the likes of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho all brought in, time might be rife to move on a second member, Firmino. Whether Depay is the answer to that is debatable.
