Liverpool send scouts to watch £12m Brazilian playmaker

Liverpool scouts were among a number of represented high profile clubs watching Hoffenheim playmaker Roberto Firmino at the weekend, according to reports.

10.12.2011, easy Credit Stadion, Nuernberg, GER, 1.FBL, 1. FC Nürnberg/ Nuernberg vs TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, im Bild:Timmy Simons (Nuernberg #2) im Zweikampf mit Roberto Firmino (Hoffenheim #22). // during the Match GER, 1.FBL, 1. FC Nürnberg/ Nuernberg vs TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on 2011/12/10, easy Credit Stadion, Nuernberg, Germany..EXPA Pictures © 2011, PhotoCredit: EXPA/ nph/ Will..***** ATTENTION - OUT OF GER, CRO *****

The attacking midfielder scored for the German side, though they went down 4-2 to Mainz in the Bundesliga.

German newspaper Bild report that both Liverpool and Chelsea scouts were at the Rhein-Neckar Arena to watch Firmino, whilst Sky Sports say there’s also been interest from Inter Milan.

The 22-year-old is enjoying a fantastic season for Hoffenheim, scoring 13 goals in 24 appearances and creating 43 chances, according to Squawka.

His performances this campaign have been in stark contrast to last season, when he scored five goals in 33 appearances and created 40 chances throughout the whole of Hoffenheim’s season, in which they narrowly escaped relegation to 2.Bundesliga.

Hoffenheim, however, are hopeful of keeping their star player after their best season in recent years.

“Of course, we are well aware of all mechanisms of the football business,” Markus Gisdol, Hoffenheim’s manager, told Bild, with quotes translated by Sky Sports.

“But good players we have under contract and are a perfect fit to our tactics are players we basically want to keep at our club.

“And Roberto has a contract at our club (beyond the end of this season).”

Metro suggest Firmino could be available for around £12 million in the summer.

Would you like to see Liverpool sign Firmino? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or on Twitter @thisisanfield or our forums.

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