Juventus are close to agreeing a deal to sign Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino, according to reports in Italy, which would end their pursuit of fellow Premier League strikers Anthony Martial and Timo Werner. Firmino’s first-team opportunities have dwindled at Anfield, initially thanks to the arrivals of Diogo Jota and then Luis Diaz in January. Sadio Mane left this summer but the arrival of Darwin Nunez means the Brazilian will struggle to break into the starting line-up next campaign. With the World Cup coming up this winter in Qatar, Firmino is keen for regular game time to join the Brazil squad and is keen on a move away from Liverpool for the first time since 2015, when he joined from Hoffenheim. Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport report that Juventus are set to take advantage of the situation and are close to a £19m deal for the 30-year-old. Firmino only has one year left on his contract so the fee is relatively low for a man of his quality and experience and Liverpool are happy to cash in, as they did with Mane. If the deal gets over the line, it will have an impact on the transfer activity of Chelsea and Manchester United this summer, with Juve also eyeing the Blues’ Werner and the Red Devils’ Martial. Timo Werner has been linked with a move from Chelsea to Juventus (Image: Getty Images) Werner is not happy at Stamford Bridge, having struggled to hit his best form in his two years at the club and has also been linked with a return to former club RB Leipzig. However, reports suggest that boss Thomas Tuchel has blocked any move for his compatriot, planning to use him regularly in the first team this season.
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Martial’s future at Manchester United looked very bleak while on a memorable loan spell at Sevilla last season, but he is back at Old Trafford and enjoying an excellent pre-season. Still only 26, the Frenchman has been scoring regularly in friendlies under new manager Erik ten Hag and with the uncertainty surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s future, Martial could play a big role for the Red Devils this season. MORE: Jurgen Klopp defends Darwin Nunez after difficult night in Liverpool defeat by Salzburg MORE: Jurgen Klopp confirms injury kept Kostas Tsimika out of Liverpool friendly against Salzburg For more stories like this, check out our sports page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
