Former Liverpool star set to leave Saudi Arabia ‘for emotional homecoming’ at 33 two years after departing the Reds

• The star played a big role in Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp before exit
• He is now set to cut his contract with Al-Ahli short to return to his home country
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By LEWIS BROWNING

Published: 00:31 BST, 14 May 2025 | Updated: 00:32 BST, 14 May 2025

A former Liverpool star is set to leave the Saudi Pro League for a reported emotional homecoming at the age of 33.

The forward was part of a wave of stars who had been playing in Europe to move to the middle east in the summer of 2023, alongside the likes of Neymar, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante.

He has enjoyed success with Al-Ahli while in the country, winning the AFC Champions League this season as he set up both goals in the final. In total, he has netted 21 times in 65 games for the club.

The club president, Khaled Al-Ghamdi, however, has revealed that they have agreed to terminate the contract of Roberto Firmino early after he penned a three-year deal when joining the club two years ago.

Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport reports that Firmino is looking to secure a return to his native Brazil, where he started his career with Figueirense before moving to Hoffenheim in Germany.

it would be an emotional return to the forward 14 years after he left the club and his homeland as he approaches the back end of his career at 33.

A former Liverpool star is set to leave Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia for an emotional homecoming 

Roberto Firmino (centre) formed a formidable attacking trio alongside Sadio Mane (left0 and Mohamed Salah (right) at Liverpool 

He won both the Champions League and Premier League while at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp

After two years – that saw him win the AFC Champions League – he has cut his deal short

Fluminense have been touted a possible destination for the former Anfield hero. The club are currently fifth in the Brazilian Serie A after eight games.

There were concerns over Firmino’s future when he wasn’t registered in Al-Ahli’s squad for the second half of the Saudi Pro League season, but he did play a key role in their Champions League-winning campaign.

Firmino was left in tears as he said goodbye to the Liverpool faithful back in May 2023 following the Reds’ final home game of the season.

Having played such a key role in Liverpool’s Champions League triumph in 2019 and Premier League win a year later, he cut an emotional figure before setting off for Saudi.

He formed a formidable attacking trio with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah during his time at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp, with Mane also departing for Saudi Arabia just months before.

That left Salah as the only one left, and he still stands strong to this day, set to win the Premier League Golden Boot and having just penned a new two-year deal with the club.

Firmino has also been capped 55 times by Brazil, scoring 17 times. 

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Former Liverpool star set to leave Saudi Arabia ‘for emotional homecoming’ at 33 two years after departing the Reds

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