Liverpool are in the hunt for a star striker. With Daniel Sturridge more than likely to leave in the summer, Divock Origi still developing and Danny Ings permanently injured, the club need a 20/25+ goal a season striker.

And assuming that they do sign someone in the summer to lead the line, then where does that leave Roberto Firmino, Liverpool’s current centre-forward?

Firmino is, without doubt, an excellent player. His record for Liverpool has been terrific and he’s a real talent, but what he isn’t is a natural goalscorer.

True, Firmino will score goals, nine of them so far this season in the Premier League, but nine goals in 26 games is not the record of a world class centre-forward, which is something that Liverpool need, given that all the other top six have them at their disposal.

The problem is of course that Firmino is so vital to Jürgen Klopp’s pressing game, and is one of the first names on the team sheet. So if Klopp signs a star striker, where does that leave his current star?

Well there are several options for Klopp. The important thing to note is that these are not mutually exclusive, and an intelligent manager (which Klopp is) would plausibly utilise more than one of these across the course of a season.

Rotation

The most obvious solution is to simply drop Firmino and rotate him with whoever comes in up front.

One of Liverpool’s biggest problems this season has been strength in depth, with too often 17-year-old Ben Woodburn the only attacking option available apart from Origi.

Bringing in someone new could well mean that Firmino spends a lot more time on the bench, but assuming Liverpool end up with European football next season (be that Champions League or Europa League), there will be a lot more games available for Firmino to feature.

One of the reasons Firmino’s form has dipped considerably since Christmas is that he’s started all but one league game this season, and Klopp himself has pointed out that the No.11 was in danger of burning out. Throwing potentially ten extra European games into the mix next term will require more striker options.

Moreover, should Liverpool pick up injuries up front, the Brazil international will be the first name on the sheet.

Firmino has proven himself adept at the false nine in big games, so having another striker would enable Klopp to trust Firmino in big games, whilst letting someone else handle the games against smaller clubs where Firmino often struggles.

Position shift

Another possibility is to play Firmino on the left or the right of the front three, another position that he has occupied this season.

Whilst this isn’t necessarily Firmino’s best position, nor is he necessarily the best player for these roles, again rotation and injuries could be a factor.

If Philippe Coutinho takes another serious injury, it would be beneficial to be able to shunt his compatriot out to the left in order to keep the quality in the team, as Klopp has done this season.

Another way that this could work, in order to keep Firmino in the team (if that is the goal, it shouldn’t necessarily be) is to drop Georginio Wijnaldum, in order to put Coutinho in midfield, freeing up a spot on the left for Firmino.

Again, this is just another way to rotate the squad, account for injuries, and find a way to keep the ex-Hoffenheim forward in the side.

Formation change

Possibly the best way to keep Firmino in the side if Liverpool sign a new striker is to change the formation, shifting the 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 which worked very well for Klopp’s side last season, and indeed was Klopp’s default formation when he was managing Borussia Dortmund.

This would enable Klopp to drop a central midfielder such as Adam Lallana or Wijnaldum, and play Firmino in the hole behind the striker.

There’s plenty of evidence to show that this would work, and indeed is probably Firmino’s best position, as he can contribute with goals and assists without having the burden of leading the line or Liverpool being reliant on him for goals.

The problem with this manoeuvre is again, which player do you drop? But if Klopp wants to bring in a star striker, somebody will have to make way, and if keeping Firmino in the side is one of his priorities, then someone else has to be the one to be dropped.

Change nothing

Or do they? One further option is of course, just to sign a striker as back-up.

Whilst the idea of leaving a 20-25-goal-a-season striker on the bench may be galling for some Liverpool fans, that’s exactly what Klopp has done with the star striker already in his possession in Sturridge.

The answer to the question: what happens to Firmino when we sign a world-class striker may very well be: absolutely nothing at all.

Whilst this is an option that should be categorised as unlikely, it is still nevertheless an option.

Lots of options for Klopp

The underlying point of this article is not to suggest that one of these options is better than another (although switching to a 4-2-3-1 in games against smaller clubs certainly should be on Klopp’s radar and dropping Firmino should be the default position once someone better comes in).

Rather, it is simply highlighting that Klopp will have plenty of options to keep Firmino in and around the side, which can only be a good thing.

Even if Firmino has to get used to having a role on the bench, having someone as good as him to come into Liverpool’s side can only be a sign that the overall quality of the squad has improved. And that’s something that Liverpool badly need to do.

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About the author
Tom Holmes
Liverpool fan and writer for AnfieldHQ. Part of the Student Radio Award winning RaW Sport team at Warwick University. FPL enthusiast.