Liverpool journalist Matt Addison has been sharing his thoughts on Reds midfielder Naby Keita and his future at the Merseyside club.
This comes after Addison made an appearance on a recent episode of the Liverpool Echo’s Blood Red Podcast where he spoke about what the future could hold for Keita.
On the subject of Keita’s current situation at Anfield and what the future could hold for him, Addison had this to say about the midfield man.
He said: “We know the reasons why it’s not quite worked for him up to this point, but I think there’s always that question with Naby Keita of if it clicks, and if you keep him and if things go well, he could become a brilliant player.
“I think he is a perfect midfielder for Jurgen Klopp, and I suppose that’s the question, isn’t it? Do you keep him even though the evidence isn’t there that he can get on the pitch?
“Or do you let him go and take the risk that possibly if he moves away, and next season, his injury troubles do just click and he does get back to being the player that he was at Leipzig, suddenly then Liverpool would regret that?
“So, I think it’s really in the balance, but we are very much approaching now a time where Liverpool have to make a decision one way or the other.”
Liverpool signed Keita back in the 2018 summer transfer window from RB Leipzig for a fee of £48 million.
Since arriving at Anfield, the 26-year-old, who is currently valued at £28.8 million, has made 76 appearances for the Reds across all competitions in which he has managed to score seven goals and provide four assists along the way (per Transfermarkt).
TIF Thoughts on Matt Addison’s comments on Keita and his future…
Given how Keita only made 16 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions this season and hadn’t made an appearance in the Premier League since the club’s 1-0 win over Wolves in March, this suggests to us that he isn’t a crucial figure in Jurgen Klopp’s squad, which could spell the end of his career at Anfield this summer.
Should Liverpool sell Naby Keita this summer?
Yes
No
However, the fact that Keita has a substantial injury record does have to be taken into account regarding his sporadic appearances throughout the season and will also have to be considered in regards to whether or not Liverpool feel the need to move him on this summer.
In our view, if Keita’s injuries mean he can’t be relied on to play whenever he may be needed to, perhaps it would be the best move from Liverpool to sell him this summer and sign a midfielder that won’t spend the majority of the season out injured.
In other news: ‘People were doubting him’ – Liverpool ace wowed by ‘unbelievable’ teammate