Liverpool Opinion: Reds should offload Naby Keita in the summer
According to the Sun, Liverpool want to cut their losses in the summer by getting Guinean midfielder Naby Keita off their books.
Keita, who made his move to Anfield for a staggering £52million from RB Leipzig last summer, was tipped for great things at Anfield but things haven’t quite gone according to the script for the 24-year-old midfield enforcer.
Keita has struggled to cope with the intensity and the dynamic nature of the Premier League, failing to replicate his form at Leipzig which earned him a reputation for being one of the most fierce midfield operators in the continent.
Keita, who made his move to Anfield for a staggering £52million from RB Leipzig last summer, was tipped for great things at Anfield but things haven’t quite gone according to the script for the 24-year-old midfield enforcer.
The Guinean hasn’t been anywhere near his best and he will undoubtedly go down as one of the big-money flops in the memories of the fans at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp showed a lot of confidence in the 24-year-old at the beginning of the season but Keita failed to repay his manager’s faith with his lacklustre performances on the pitch.
Keita has contributed with just a single assist from 27 appearances for the Reds in all competitions, which is a stark contrast as compared to his exploits at Leipzig which saw him accumulate 17 goals and 15 assists from 71 appearances.
The Sun understands that Liverpool are prepared to take a £10 million hit on Keita to ship him back to the Bundesliga, with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich both interested in securing his services.
To put things into perspective, it might be a bit harsh on Keita but Liverpool should not hesitate to offload their struggling liability in the summer. The Reds might be tempted by his previous record to keep him on their payroll for another season but they would face the risk of having to sell him for a lesser fee should he flop once again.
Keita came in with a big reputation of being a all-action box-to-box midfielder with high levels of energy and a penchant for scoring goals.
However, he hasn’t really made the same impact with his tireless running, barely making any significant contribution in the attacking third and not using possession to the fullest.
He was tipped to be a perfect fit for Klopp’s high-intensity pressing football but Keita hasn’t been able to play with the same level of conviction and deliver the goods for some unknown reason.
With the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner, Fabinho and Adam Lallana all above Keita in the pecking order, it would be a good idea for the Reds to cash in on the Guinean.
Liverpool need to invest in the summer to add a back-up centre-forward and a left-back to their squad and offloading Keita would help them fund moves for new arrivals.
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Time beyond one season is something that players rarely get to prove themselves in the Premier League, and Liverpool have every reason to be disappointed with Keita.
A move back to the Bundesliga might help him resurrect his career, and that said, Liverpool should not hesitate to let him go.