Roberto Firmino has the backing of former Brazilian Red Fabio Aurelio. Aurelio was the first Brazilian to play for Liverpool and reckons his countryman Firmino will be a success at Liverpool.
“He is a good finisher and a clever player, he knows how to move well behind the lines and find good spaces behind defenders as well, to have clear options to score,” Aurelio said, as quoted in the Liverpool Echo.
“But not only that, he can also give various assists to other players. So I think Liverpool have signed a very promising player that could improve a lot together with the club.”
Aurelio’s glittering valuation of Firmino didn’t stop there.
“He is very young. He has shown that he has grown a lot in a very short period of time. He has a lot of experience now with the national team as well in international competitions,” he added.
Aurelio points to Firmino’s national team form as the reason to why the 23-year-old has many admirers:
“Of course now a few good appearances with the national team have increased the interest of many, many clubs.
“But Liverpool because of its history and he already knows about the club made the difference to make the decision to join Liverpool.”
Aurelio arrived at Liverpool from Valencia and thinks that the fact that Firmino will join from German club Hoffenheim, rather than the Brazilian league as Lucas Leiva did when he came in from Gremio, will make it easier for him to transition.
“He is used to living in Europe having spent the last few years in Germany,” said Aurelio. “So it won’t be that difficult for him because he’ll have the help of two Brazilians that are already there in the Liverpool squad. He is used to European football as well, so I believe that he will adapt very quickly.”
Firmino will hope to fulfil the lofty promise that Aurelio left behind as a result of injury problems.
