Liverpool are likely to be busy on the transfer front this summer as Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes look to revamp the Reds squad.

The Anfield outfit has begun a new era, with Arne Slot taking over from Jurgen Klopp as Reds boss.

Edwards and Hughes will be eager to give the new Liverpool manager all the tools he needs to hit the ground running at Anfield.

There were also some key outgoings earlier this summer, with Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara leaving on a free transfer.

Both players have served Liverpool well, but with their contracts coming to an end, the decision was made to allow them to leave.

This is the second summer that one or more top players have left the Reds on a free. The likes of Roberto Firmino and James Milner left Anfield when their contracts expired last year.

Now, England international Dean Henderson has described a player who has left Liverpool on a free transfer as the most underrated footballer he’s ever played against.

Dean Henderson hails ‘underrated’ Liverpool icon Roberto Firmino

The Crystal Palace goalkeeper, speaking on England’s YouTube channel, couldn’t sing Firmino’s praises highly enough.

Henderson said: “The most underrated player I’ve ever played against… Firmino at Liverpool…. I don’t think he got enough credit for what he was.”

Lions’ den presenter Josh Denzel said: “Fair, you think he was that good?”

Henderson replied: “Yeah, I thought the way he picked the pass and the weight of his passes was fantastic.”

Gary Neville also sung Firmino’s praises

Firmino was the spearhead of Liverpool’s gegenpress, his movement and off-the-ball work helping to bring the best out of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.

When the Reds attacking trident was in its prime, the Anfield outfit was nigh-on unstoppable.

And Henderson is not the first footballer – or pundit – to suggest that Firmino didn’t get the credit he deserved.

For instance, Gary Neville said on Sky Sports in 2021: “I refuse to disrespect Firmino for what he’s done over the past four or five years.

“That front three have been out of this world and he always seems to be the one that gets pushed away.

“The work both in possession and out of possession he does on behalf of the team is unbelievable.

“He gets respected, of course he does, but I don’t feel he gets the full respect he deserves in the way that he dovetails with midfield, with the two wide players and how he fills back in big games and drops onto sitting midfielders for opposition.

“He does the donkey work when the team needs it, so for me he’s the type of player that needs to be in the team if you’ve got Ronaldo up front as he’s the workhorse in behind who would connect the midfield to the front really well.”

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