Report: Liverpool officials all say the same thing about ‘outstanding’ player’s expiring contract

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Liverpool officials all give the same response when asked about Naby Keita’s contract, according to reports. The Guinean is out his deal in six months.

This comes from the Liverpool Echo. They claim that Liverpool officials all give the same response when asked about Naby Keita and his expiring contract.

Keita, who arrived at the club in 2018 after a deal was struck the previous year, sees his contract expire at the end of June. It’s a difficult position for the player, given he also hasn’t played competitive football this season after a series of injuries.

So what, exactly, does the future hold? We haven’t heard anything on Keita getting a new deal – but that might be deliberate.

The Echo says that when asking about Keita’s contract talks and the lack of public information, officials point to Mohamed Salah’s negotiations this year. The Egyptian’s own deal was due to expire last summer and there was minimal talk around a new one.

However, Liverpool had merely kept everything private. Salah signed a new contract and all was well – but does the same hold true for Keita?

Naby Keita’s contract

The Salah point is a good one to make and it does mean we shouldn’t get carried away here. But the situations are very different.

Salah’s issue was always going to money, not whether Liverpool wished to renew his contract. He was immeasurably important last season and there was no chance that the club wanted rid.

Keita, though, is a frustration. His talent is incredible and few could deny that. Getting him to show it consistently, however, looks nigh on impossible and it makes a new contract debatable.

For the right money, Liverpool should absolutely renew. But this is likely the final big contract of Keita’s career and we’re not sure the Reds will give him what he wants. Not as a sure-fire starting XI player, anyway.

Then there’s the fact that Liverpool are linked with some massive midfield signings in 2023. Getting Keita’s wages off the books might be beneficial in making those deals happen – especially if those players will be, as expected, ahead of him in the pecking order.

The next few months will be massive, then. Teams can offer Keita a pre-contract from January 1st and we imagine plenty of teams will attempt to do just that. Things have been quiet so far but they could soon get very noisy.