Fabinho has expressed his hope that club and international teammate Bobby Firmino will ‘stay at Liverpool forever’.
The news emerged last week (via Florian Plettenberg on Twitter) that the Brazilian forward is set to leave Anfield in the summer after eight years at the club.
However, the £180,000-per-week midfielder (FBref) is hopeful that the 31-year-old might yet have a change of heart and remain on Merseyside beyond the end of the current campaign.
Speaking after Sunday’s memorable win over Manchester United, Fabinho told The Mirror: “Bobby is a very special guy.
“It’s great to have him as a teammate. He’s a guy that everyone likes him. It was really cool that he scored today, that he celebrated in that way. Everyone on the bench, on the field, celebrated with him, because he is a guy that everyone likes.
“So he’s a guy who for me should stay at Liverpool forever, who was very important since my arrival. And I don’t want to talk too much about the future, let’s enjoy these last few months that we have of him here.
“I don’t know if the situation can still change, but we joke with him a little. But let’s enjoy it while we have this player with us because he is a very special guy.”
It speaks volumes for Firmino’s impact at Anfield that a number of his teammates have expressed just how highly they regard him and how much he’ll be missed when he departs the club.
Harvey Elliott has also lauded the 31-year-old as an ‘amazing’ player and person, who the teenager credited as a massive help in the development of his fledgling career (Liverpool ECHO).
It’s no surprise that Fabinho has been pleading with his compatriot to stay put on Merseyside, although with Bobby having informed the club of his intentions to move on in the summer (Plettenberg on Twitter), any chance of a romcom-esque plot twist appears minimal.
One thing seems for certain – Firmino will get one hell of a send-off for his final game at Anfield, judging by the adoration he has from Liverpool players and fans.