The news that Liverpool have signed Hoffenheim’s Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino for £29m has been met by mixed feelings from Manchester United fans.
Louis van Gaal was said to be keen on Firmino and numerous reports earlier this month suggested that Man United were close to agreeing a deal for him.
However, it appears that United were never in for the player and that he was always going to join Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool instead.
We asked our Twitter followers for their thoughts on whether passing up on Firmino will be a missed opportunity or no big deal:
@PeoplesPerson_ Missed opportunity (coming from someone who watched Firmino every week)
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) June 24, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ Good signing for them. Wouldn't have been such a good signing for us though. Let alone at that price.
— Wannes (@SeriousWannes) June 24, 2015
@peoplesperson_ No big deal. We've lots of attacking players to push us through next season.
— Libero (@VickieOfficiel) June 24, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ he will be great for them. But we didn't need him. Pereira will be that level in 2-3 years. Think that goal made us realise.
— Louis Gibzen (@Gibzen) June 24, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ given how stacked we are in his position I'm not too gutted about us not getting him. Good signing for them though.
— Ryan (@Rocket_345) June 24, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ We were not interested in him. Might be a good player but there is no point in going for him if he was not in LVG's plan
— Mangesh (@TheIndianRed) June 24, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ there isnt really any room for him in the team, i think its better to develop Pereira than spending 30 mil on a player
— Hàris (@_harizzz_) June 24, 2015
Players such as Angel di Maria, Juan Mata, Ashley Young and now Memphis Depay can all play in Firmino’s position so a move for him wouldn’t have made that much sense.
Adnan Januzaj and Andreas Pereira have also shown promise and they will be hoping to earn a run in the first-team next season.
It would have been nice to get excited about a new player but United were right to pass on Firmino. Other areas of the squad need to be improved, with a central defender and dominant midfielder high on the agenda.