We all know that when this summer comes and we see the end of Bobby Firmino’s time as a Red, there’s not going to be many dry eyes left inside Anfield but one youngster in our academy has given an insight into his friendship with our forward.
Speaking with GOAL, Layton Stewart said: “I speak to Bobby a lot, actually. I absolutely love him. He messages me on Instagram after a game saying ‘well done’ and things like that, which means a lot to a young player. I had a photo shoot recently and he was messaging after it.
“We got on well over in Dubai. We were doing a lot of pressing drills, and he’s the king of it really, isn’t he, so I was always asking him for little tips and watching how he did it.
“He’s changed the way a Liverpool No.9 plays, and that’s something every young striker has to be aware of now. It’s not just about the glory, scoring goals, you have to do the other side of the game as well. He’s been the best in the business at it for years.”
The 20-year-old has a relationship with our No.9 that many could only dream of but this level of mentorship from the club icon, shows that his role for Liverpool goes far beyond the minutes he provides on the pitch.
When players start to enter the latter stages of their career, it says a lot about the type of people they are that some may focus solely on themselves but our Brazilian has instead decided to share his experiences with those in our academy.
Having this type of person to talk to will provide immeasurable help for any aspiring striker, just like the locally-born academy prospect.
With just weeks left of what is almost certain to be the 31-year-old’s final campaign on Merseyside, the young man with one first-team appearance to his name doesn’t have much time to act like a sponge around him – although we’re sure our much-loved striker will always be around to offer support.