Liverpool are reportedly ready to offer enigmatic midfielder Naby Keita a new contract amid interest from French giants Paris Saint-Germain.
According to 90 min, Premier League giants Liverpool are ready to offer midfielder Naby Keita a new deal ahead of the 2022/23 season. The Guinean international will enter the final year of his contract at Anfield this summer and could leave on a free next year.
The 27-year-old moved to Liverpool from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2018. Much was expected of Keita, but injuries and an inability to consistently put in top-level performances have seen him struggle on Merseyside.
Four years on, Keita has won it all with Liverpool. But his performances have not had a direct impact on the team’s success, and it is high time that he starts firing. An uneventful appearance off the bench in the Reds’ losing cause in the UEFA Champions League final did him no favours either.
With just a year left on his current deal, Liverpool have a decision to make. They could cash in on Keita this summer or risk losing him on a free in a season’s time. With PSG circling, the Reds appear to have reached a decision.
Liverpool are now ready to offer the 27-year-old a new deal that will secure his immediate future at the club. This should, at the very least, remove any uncertainty that the Reds have regarding his future amid the interest from PSG. It will also help the club focus their attention elsewhere and strengthen other areas of the squad.
With Sadio Mane likely to leave amid interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, the winds of change are abound at Anfield. James Milner could also follow suit even though Klopp wants to keep hold of the veteran, while Mohamed Salah’s future remains unclear. More so, Liverpool’s midfield is ageing and could do with an infusion of young blood.
Losing Keita will only add to the recruitment team’s worries, and they could do without it this summer. A wholesale overhaul is never healthy, and Liverpool can instead plan to phase out the midfielder next summer.
Keita’s struggles in England have at times been smattered by standout performances. Whether it is the pace of the game in England or otherwise, he looks miles away from performing at the level he did while in the Bundesliga. It can be argued that a move to the less difficult Ligue 1 by joining PSG would make life easier for Keita.
Also Read: Liverpool 2021/22 Review: The impossible dream nearly made possible
As things stand, Liverpool look set to keep the Guinean on at Anfield this summer. Whether this will be an attempt for him to rekindle his career or for the club to hold the initiative when it comes to transfer negotiations is to be seen. With a rebuild on the cards, there is no better time than now for Keita to showcase his potential in red.
