‘Essential for us’ – Jurgen Klopp hails Roberto Firmino as ‘heart and soul’ of Liverpool amid Juventus links

Jurgen Klopp has described Roberto Firmino as the “heart and soul” of his Liverpool side, but admitted that the striker’s long-term future was uncertain.

Firmino has only a year left on his deal, and Liverpool may therefore be keen to cash in on a 30-year-old who could depart on a free next summer.

However Klopp has insisted that Firmino remains “crucial” to his plans for the season.

“Bobby [Roberto Firmino] is crucial for us, the heart and soul of this team, the way we played in the last years was only possible because of Bobby,” said the Liverpool manager ahead of the Community Shield.

“That’s why I’m really happy he was able to train for the majority of the time here in pre-season so far.

“Everything looks really good so I am absolutely fine. There is no doubt about Bobby’s quality. All the rest, we will see how this year goes but he is essential for us.”

Liverpool face Manchester City this weekend in the traditional curtain-raising Community Shield showpiece, which has been relocated to the King Power Stadium in Leicester with Wembley unavailable due to the final of Euro 2022.

Klopp will be without Alisson and Diogo Jota for the encounter, but the Liverpool manager is confident that his first-choice goalkeeper will be available for the Premier League opener against Fulham on August 6 – though fears that the outlook for Jota is less optimistic.

“Alisson and Diogo have no chance [for Saturday]. Ali trained today more than the day before so he will be definitely available for Fulham, but not for the weekend.

“And the same for Diogo. Diogo was not here with us [in a pre-season training camp in Austria] so how could he play a football game? That will take a while unfortunately.”