Liverpool are about to finally replace Roberto Firmino with brilliant move

Andoni Iraola's brilliant move is about to finally replace Roberto Firmino for Liverpool.

When the Brazilian left Anfield, there was a feeling that Liverpool weren't just saying goodbye to a brilliant footballer - they were losing one of the most unique players the club has ever had.

Everyone knew there would never be another no.9 quite like Bobby.

He could score spectacular goals and produce moments of magic, but that was never what made him so special. Firmino's greatest quality was his selflessness. While most forwards are judged by goals alone, the Brazilian was more interested in making the players around him better.

His understanding of space was exceptional. He would drop into midfield, drag defenders out of position and create gaps for Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to attack. It was the foundation of one of the most devastating front threes the Premier League has ever seen.

Firmino was the glue that held everything together. His technical quality, football intelligence and tireless work without the ball made Liverpool's attack function so few others could. He pressed relentlessly, linked play effortlessly and always seemed to make the right decision at exactly the right moment.

Off the pitch, he carried himself with the same humility that defined his football. He never demanded the spotlight, rarely sought individual praise and always played with that trademark smile on his face.

It's no surprise that Liverpool have struggled to replace him. Players with Firmino's combination of intelligence, creativity and selflessness barely exist in modern football.

He wasn't just Liverpool's no.9. He was the heartbeat of one of the greatest teams in the club's history, and his influence is still being felt long after his departure with the yearning from many supporters of his return.

What truly set Firmino apart, and what Liverpool were missing most last season, was his pressing.

Few players in the modern game matched his relentless energy. It’s no surprise Michael Edwards held him in such high regard, so much so that he even named his dog “Bobby” after him.

But Firmino’s pressing wasn’t just about effort for effort’s sake. It was intelligent, calculated, and perfectly timed.

He had a natural instinct for when to pounce, when to close down, cut passing lanes, and force errors at exactly the right moment.

In Klopp’s gegenpressing system, Firmino was the key. He was the piece that made everything click. He turned defensive pressure into attacking opportunities, helping Liverpool play their signature high-octane, “heavy metal” football.

Since his departure, there’s been a clear drop-off in Liverpool’s ability to suffocate teams and win the ball back high up the pitch. Under Arne Slot, that intensity, especially in pressing, dropped even more dramatically.

Now under Andoni Iraola Liverpool are going to have to return to being pressing monsters. The Spaniard's style of football simply demands his players to be able to press effectively.

Iraola wants his team to win back the ball quickly and play a fast-paced high intensity style of football more akin to the gegenpressing style that Liverpool fans became accustomed to under Jurgen Klopp.

The Spaniard is now in Chicago working with some of the Liverpool squad, as well as some of the club's younger players and in the process he could finally be about to replace Firmino with a genius move.

Iraola moved to call-up Josh Sonni-Lambie to the 31-men squad travelling to the United States.

This was a brilliant call because the 17-year-old has everything to be Liverpool's next Firmino.

Not only is he a brilliant link-up player who can connect the midfield and the attack but he also scores goals and most importantly works well in tight spaces and under pressure.

But the vital reason as to why he can be Firmino's ultimate replacement is his pressing. Sonni-Lambie is a fantastic when it comes to putting players under pressure and capitalising on mistakes from the opposition's defensive line.

Calling Sonni-Lambie up to the first-team was a genius move from Iraola, and one that could reap huge rewards.