Barcelona reach agreement with Roberto Firmino over free transfer

Barcelona have agreed a deal with Liverpool star Roberto Firmino over a free transfer, reports The Daily Mail.

The Brazilian striker will leave Anfield when his deal expires this summer, thus bringing an end to his eight-year spell with the Merseysiders.

The 31-year-old will go down as one of the best players in Reds history, having amassed 109 goals and 79 assists.

He is also regarded as a pivotal figure in Liverpool’s renaissance under Klopp, winning a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup title.

The Brazilian centre-forward has found himself down the pecking order over the last couple of seasons due to frequent injury problems and also the arrivals of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo.

However, he has proven his class with limited opportunities this season, netting 11 goals and five assists in all competitions – which also makes him Liverpool’s third highest scorer.

Galatasaray, Inter Milan, Napoli and MLS outfit St.Louis City were also said to be in the race for Firmino, but Barca have edged out them for the signing of one of the hottest free agents in Europe.

The La Liga giants’ modus operandi in the transfer market has been targeting top free agents and cost-effective transfers because of their financial crisis.

Firmino will be a top signing for the Catalan giants, and his arrival can take the burden of struggling Robert Lewandowski.

The Blaugrana have also raided the Premier League for Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, with whom they are close to striking an agreement over a Bosman transfer.

Furthermore, there are growing reports of Lionel Messi’s potential return to Camp Nou, with Barca stepping up their efforts to make it happen.