Liverpool have decided that they’d like to keep Naby Keita at the club beyond the end of his current contract.
The 27-year-old now has just six months to go before he becomes a free agent. But, according to Goal, that’s still a situation that Liverpool will hope to avoid.
They claim that the Reds would still be happy to extend Keita’s contract. However, there is a catch. Recognising his lack of game time this season, Liverpool would reportedly only sign off on another deal if the Guinean can ‘play a few games.’
If Keita is able to make a good impact when on the pitch for the rest of the season, the insinuation is that he’ll get himself an extension.
Keita still hanging on in at Liverpool
Some Liverpool fans will no doubt be furious to see Keita given a new contract at the club. Given that the midfielder has already missed 21 games this season, that’s an understandable position.
It also must be remembered that this campaign isn’t an isolated one. In every one of Naby’s five seasons at Liverpool, he has missed a big chunk, or chunks, of the year.
No matter how good he is on the pitch, it isn’t sustainable to keep relying on a player who is so injury prone.
Last year it had looked as though Keita had turned a corner in that respect. He played 40 times for Liverpool and was finally showing the kind of consistency that had evaded him for so long. Jurgen Klopp even called him ‘outstanding’ via liverpoolfc.com.
Had he signed a new deal last summer, most fans would probably have accepted the decision. But several months on and Keita’s last competitive appearance for Liverpool remains the Champions League final in May.
With plenty of new midfield targets being touted around in the press, many fans would like to see some refreshment in that area.
With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner also out of contract though, maybe it makes sense to keep Naby.
If he’s willing to accept lower terms and a short-term deal, there’s no harm done. As long as it doesn’t alter Liverpool’s plans to bring in at least two top-level midfielders. Over to you then, Naby. Still all to play for.
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