Report: Barcelona are now considering a move for ‘outstanding’ Liverpool player

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Barcelona are looking at signing Naby Keita in 2023, according to reports. The player will likely leave Liverpool.

This comes from Sport. They claim that Barcelona have their eyes on several free transfers in 2023. Liverpool’s Naby Keita is on their list.

Youri Tielemans and Ilkay Gundogan are also on the radar as the Catalonians search for a bargain. Keita, with his contract expiring next summer, is certainly an option for European teams.

Barcelona could formally offer Keita a contract from January 1st. Liverpool can only stop that by agreeing a new deal with the player before then – but that seems unlikely.

Bild believe that Keita has already made up his mind not to negotiate with Liverpool until January. They say Borussia Dortmund hold an interest in the Guinean, too.

Keita, then, can play the European giants off of one another as he seeks a bumper offer in 2023.

Barcelona consider Naby Keita

Jurgen Klopp does see Keita as an ‘outstanding’ player but it’s still remarkable that Keita could have this kind of interest in him. The midfielder has never lived up to his potential at Liverpool, spending most of his time injured.

In fact, Keita is injured right now. We recently wrote that the injury blows his chance of a big contract but now we’re not sure that’s the case. With Liverpool, Barcelona and Dortmund all in the mix, Keita actually has a good chance of getting a decent deal.

But we can’t see that coming from Liverpool. The Reds need to change their midfield next year and letting Keita leave would help them do that. At the very least, he frees up wages to spend elsewhere. That could be on an out of contract player.

All this interest from Barcelona does is increase the chances that Keita leaves Liverpool on a free transfer.