Liverpool legend Luis Garcia has urged patience with his former club’s summer signing Roberto Firmino, and talked up the quality the Brazilian brings to the Anfield outfit.
Firmino was signed from Hoffenheim in the early parts of the summer transfer window, and the 23-year-old has already made four appearances for his new club, and was handed his first Anfield start in last weekend’s 3-0 loss to West Ham United.
And Garcia believes Firmino will need time to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League, as he feels it is difficult to come into England and settle down quickly.
“It’s not easy to come into the Premier League and adapt,” Garcia was quoted as saying to the Liverpool Echo via Liverpool’s official website.
The Spaniard, who won the Champions League with the Reds in 2005, regards Firmino as a “very good” player, but is of the opinion the Brazil international needs more time to make a Philippe Coutinho-esque influence for Liverpool.
“I think that he’s a very good player but you have to give him time to adapt to the pace of the game, to the players, the different situations in games.
“He’s a player that wants to do things to change games, like Coutinho does at the moment,” Garcia added.
Firmino, who spent four-and-a-half seasons at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, will be expected to be the creative fulcrum for the Reds in their clash against Manchester United when the Premier League resumes its course following the ongoing international break, as Coutinho is out suspended.
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