Firmino is being linked with Arsenal after being left out of Al-Ahli’s squad for the league
The former Liverpool player has no place in the Saudi team with the arrival of Galeno due to exceeding the limit of foreigners
Although the transfer market closed on February 3, teams can still register players with one condition: they must be free agents. In that section, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, with Havertz out for the rest of the season, Martinelli’s injury, and Saka’s relapse, has a problem up front. Some players have been mentioned as possible reinforcements but there is one who has gained strength in the last few hours: Roberto Firmino, ex-Pool player and current Al-Ahli player.
The Saudi team decided to release the Brazilian for the rest of the season. He cannot play in the league but he can play in the AFC Champions League, although it is a situation that is not pleasant for the striker. The reason that led Al-Ahli to leave Firmino out was motivated by the arrival of Galeno from Porto for 50 million euros in the winter market. The rule states that only a maximum of 10 foreigners are allowed in the squad. The Saudi team was at its limit and Firmino was affected by the arrival of Galeno.
The Al-Ahli coach regretted the decision as the Brazilian is one of the most used players by Matthias Jaissle. The German coach explained the situation of the Brazilian and how he reacted to this decision: ” It was not easy for the club that was based on the rules. We appreciate Firmino and he dealt with it with professionalism. He remains one of our leaders .”
We appreciate it and you handled it professionally.
Firmino was able to play yesterday against Al-Gharafa as it was an AFC Champions League match, a competition in which he is registered. The Brazilian scored the third goal in his team’s 4-2 victory. However, Firmino could rethink his future and one of the doors that could open for him would be a return to England.
Arsenal is very attentive to their situation
The English newspaper ‘The Mirror’, echoed the situation of the Brazilian footballer and there are already some rumours that link him with a possible return to the Premier League. Specifically, Arsenal has shown interest in signing the former Liverpool player due to injuries. Arteta has been forced to reposition several of his players and this past weekend he ‘invented’ Mikel Merino as a striker. The Spaniard wrote a double in the Gunners’ victory against Leicester.
However, two drawbacks make the operation difficult: his contract and his salary. Firstly, the agreement between Al-Ahli and Firmino runs until 2026, so if Arsenal wants to sign the player, he must first be free. The Saudi team and the player could terminate the contract, but at the moment, this option is not being considered.
The other is the player’s salary. Firmino is known to be one of the highest-paid players in the team and in the Saudi league, so it would be expected that the Brazilian would ask for a high salary. Firmino’s situation will have to be closely followed, as he could return to the Premier League, a league where he already made history with Liverpool, winning 1 Premier in the 2019/2020 season and the Champions League in 2018/2019, among many other titles.