Former Liverpool star Roberto Firmino has opened up about his decision to reject a move to Real Madrid before signing with Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli as a free agent in 2023.
Speaking to TNT Sports Brasil (via Madrid Universal), the Brazilian confirmed Real Madrid’s interest was genuine and recent.
However, the striker, who was not Los Blancos’ top target at the time, felt he would have had to wait too long for the deal to materialize.
Firmino ultimately chose the immediate, concrete offer from Al-Ahli, stating, “I wasn’t the first or even the second option, so I would have had to wait quite a bit…
Then the offer from Al-Ahli came, and I had to pray and think if that was really the right thing. So, that’s how it happened.”