Liverpool should try to sell Naby Keita in the January transfer window in order to make way for Nicolo Barella.
According to a report from Calciomercatoweb this morning, Inter Milan could be willing to sell Barella in January. Should a bid of around £60m come in, they’d reportedly be open to the idea.
Liverpool are long-term admirers of the Italian and are in desperate need of a midfield reset. For those reasons, they should position themselves right at the front of the queue.
But whether they will or not could very well depend on Keita. The 27-year-old is currently injured yet again. Now into the last year of his contract, he looks unlikely to sign a new one.
As a result, the January window would be the last chance to recoup some of the near £50m they paid for him. He wouldn’t fetch anything like that amount, but every little helps when Liverpool are pushing for a big signing.
Logical business for Liverpool to pursue
Other clubs from the Premier League’s ‘big six’ may have no problem dropping £60m on a January signing. Liverpool don’t tend to work that way, though.
Instead, The Reds are well-known for running a ‘sell-to-buy’ policy. This has often led to criticism from supporters, but it does help the club to be run as sustainably as possible.
As Keita reportedly wants out at Liverpool, he would seem like an obvious choice to move on. Yes, it may be tricky to find a buyer at anything more than £10m or so, but that’s better than losing him for nothing.
Put that towards the Barella fund, and the Italian’s price starts to become instantly more palatable.
The arrival of a quality addition such as the 25-year-old could also help to push Liverpool on after the World Cup. As of now, The Reds are looking a little light in midfield and in turn, a little off the pace. Jurgen Klopp thinks Keita can be ‘outstanding,’ but he essentially can’t be counted on.
Returning players such as Thiago Alcantara will no doubt help Liverpool. But as Luiz Diaz’s mid-season arrival last season showed, a new face can push the team onto even greater heights.
Selling Keita and buying Barella would also alleviate some of the pressure on the summer window. Liverpool may need as many as three new midfielders as players’ contracts run down. Bringing in a replacement six months early will help to slim down Liverpool’s summer business.
Unless Keita has a miraculous turn-around upon his return from injury, this would seem like a logical route for Liverpool to take.
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