Jurgen Klopp has already given a hint over the future of Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita, whose contract expires in the summer of 2023.
The Guinea international became Jurgen Klopp’s most expensive signing in his managerial history when he arrived from RB Leipzig for £52 million in 2017.
However, Keita has experienced an inconsistent spell at Anfield thus far, with his clear talent not being demonstrated frequently enough, having been ravaged by injuries.
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The Liverpool boss believes his creative midfielder has a “bright future” after appearing to finally overcome some of these injury issues in recent months, according to the Daily Mirror.
Despite his upturn in form in the latter stages of the 2021/22 campaign, a new deal for Keita has still not been agreed.
As it stands, he’ll walk away for free in 12 months, meaning the Reds will have made a drastic loss on their initial investment.
At 27, Liverpool may be reluctant to offer a lucrative new contract and may look to cash in on the player this summer.
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Ketia will be free to talk to any overseas club in just eight months time, so searching for a potential suitor now may represent smart business by the Merseysiders.
If no agreement over a new deal is reached, then it would suggest Liverpool are very likely to take this offloading approach.
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Klopp has stressed on numerous occasions his reticence to praise the 27-year-old over improvements in form, just in case “somebody tells me ‘Naby cannot play’.”
The German has cited inconsistency and the inability to remain fit as the key factors hindering Keita from living up to the price tag that made him the North West club’s record signing back in 2017.
The Conkary-born man has made just 76 Premier League appearances across four seasons at Anfield, with the most being 25 in his first campaign at the club.
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Klopp said: “When Naby was fit and Naby could get some rhythm he was always really good, unfortunately he could not get as much rhythm as he wished and as we wished in the past. Maybe that’s over know (knocks wood). Hopefully the future is bright for him, he is a great player.
“The year before (Keita signed) it was Keita and Thiago who were the best two midfielders in the Bundesliga by a distance. So to first get Naby and then Thiago, was obviously a good idea.”
Topics: Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool Transfer News & Rumours, Naby Keita, Liverpool