Liverpool could have Naby Keita fit to face Tottenham in the Champions League final next month, Guinea boss Paul Put has told Foot 224.
The former RB Leipzig midfielder suffered a groin abductor injury during the first leg of the semifinal tie against Barcelona.
Many fans thought he would be a huge miss against the Catalonians at Anfield but Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner stepped up, with Gini Wijnaldum scoring a brace from the bench.
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Put told Foot 224: “He consulted his doctor in Switzerland, as I said at the beginning
“He is in treatment with his doctor. He has started on the bike there [at Liverpool] and it is said that he will maybe in two weeks resume with the squad.
“It is even possible that he is in the squad for the Champions League final if what I have been told is true. We will see. We will wait and remain realistic. This is not the time to scream or panic. We have to wait and see how it goes.”
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If the 24-year-old does indeed make the squad to face Tottenham in the final, that would be a tremendous boost as his ability to roll past challenges and drive through a midfield could prove key in Madrid.
Given that he’s already been out for a few weeks, it seems unlikely that he would be given a starting spot but a 15-minute cameo could give Liverpool energy and invention from the bench late on against Tottenham.
As things stand, it seems most likely that Klopp’s starting midfield to face Spurs will be a trio of Fabinho, Henderson and Wijnaldum or Milner.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
If Liverpool need a goal in the final quarter of an hour, Klopp could introduce Keita or even Xherdan Shaqiri for some individual brilliance to change the game.
While Keita might be back too late for Liverpool, he seems destined to feature for Guinea during this summer’s Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to take place in Egypt.