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Liverpool icon Roberto Firmino's hopes of returning to the Premier League are in doubt due to his astronomical wage demands, according to The Sun (via METRO).
Firmino established himself as one of the best forwards in the Premier League at Liverpool, scoring 111 goals and providing 79 assists in 362 appearances across competitions. Over the span of seven seasons, the Brazil international helped the Reds win seven trophies, including the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League.
The 32-year-old opted to depart as a free agent over the summer to join Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli. Unfortunately, the move hasn't worked for either party, with Firmino only being able to score three goals in 18 appearances to date.
Firmino is reportedly unhappy in Saudi Arabia and is willing to return to the Premier League, with Al-Ahli willing to sell or loan him for the rest of the season. Fulham and Sheffield United have also allegedly expressed interest in acquiring his services.
However, no English club is willing to match his wage demands. The former Liverpool superstar is reportedly seeking to earn £300,000 per week.
Liverpool star Diogo Jota provides verdict on Arsenal ahead of FA Cup clash
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has praised Arsenal for being a good team but believes his side can get a result against them at the Emirates. The two sides are set to face each other in the third round of the FA Cup later today (Sunday, January 7).
The Gunners enjoyed a strong start to the season and were even at the top of the Premier League table during Christmas. However, they were winless in their last three games, losing two of them. They are currently fourth in the league standings with 40 points, five points behind Jurgen Klopp and Co.
Arsenal will be desperate to return to winning ways at home and go further in the FA Cup, after having already been knocked out in the EFL Cup earlier this season.
Jota said (via Liverpool's official website):
"Arsenal [are] a great team, no doubt about it. They are maybe not in the best run of form at the moment, but they are a big team and the game they played at Anfield was proof of that.
"It was a lot of intensity, teams really going for each other, and we dug out a draw that was not what we wanted, but they were able to do that."
He added:
"Now, like I said, they are not in the best run of form, so maybe they look at this cup as a very important competition for them. We go there, it's going to be tough, 100 per cent, but we can go there and win."
The two sides played out a thrilling 1-1 draw in the Premier League at Anfield on December 23. Gabriel Magalhaes was on target for the visitors, while Mohamed Salah leveled the scores for the Reds. Both Salah and Wataru Endo will be unavailable in the FA Cup fixture today due to their commitments to their respective national teams.
