On Tuesday morning, Liverpool confirmed the signing of 23-year-old Hoffenheim forward Roberto Firmino on their official website.
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Having previously been linked with both Manchester City and Manchester United [Bild], the Brazil international has ultimately ended up at Anfield.
BBC Sport understand that a fee in the region of £29 million has been agreed for the versatile offensive star, while the “long-term deal” announced by Liverpool on their official website is understood to be a five-year contract [Globoesporte].
The forward—who is currently on international duty with Brazil at the Copa America—represents Brendan Rodgers’s first big-money foray into the market this summer, with Firmino arriving on the back of free or modest deals for players such as James Milner, Danny Ings, Adam Bogdan and Joe Gomez.
Firmino moved to Hoffenheim from Figueirense in 2011 and has gone on to score 35 goals in 145 Bundesliga appearances over the last four and a half years. He has also featured in the top three for assists in the German top flight for the last two campaigns.
Here’s how Liverpool fans and other sources reacted to the news of the player’s imminent arrival at Anfield, and the subsequent confirmation of a deal on Tuesday morning.