The Liverpool board are still following Matheus Nunes as a potential replacement for Naby Keita.
Keita’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season and as per journalist Fabrizio Romano, he won’t be signing another as things stand.
Writing on Twitter today, Romano reports that there are currently no talks over an extension at Anfield. The journalist claims that Keita’s situation, along with those of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner will be ‘clarified soon.’
As a result of so much uncertainty over their midfield options, Liverpool need to look to bring in players to fill the gaps. And according to Romano, that could be Wolves’ Matheus Nunes.
Nunes has long been reported as a likely addition for Liverpool this summer. And Romano claims that the Liverpool board are ‘following’ the Portugal international in view of a move.
The journalist also suggests that Nunes is the only player being considered, though. The 24-year-old is said to be ‘among the options’ for Liverpool.
Liverpool take the hit on Keita
On paper, Keita and Nunes would look like a good like-for-like swap. It’s unfortunate that Naby’s Liverpool career has ended up this way, but it’s for the best that he departs at the end of the season.
Had he not missed the first half of the campaign through injury, things might have been different.
But already in last chance saloon, Keita just hasn’t been able to get on the pitch enough to prove he’s worthy of another contract. As a result, Liverpool are going to have to take a big financial hit on him.
Seen through his whole Reds career, the £48m paid to bring Keita to Anfield looks like a poor deal now. It seems likely that Liverpool will have to stump up a similar fee to get Nunes.
Should they follow through with it, it could be an upgrade. The former Sporting Lisbon man has shown enough to suggest he could go some way to answering Liverpool’s midfield prayers.
Labelled ‘special’ by one of his old club’s former sporting director’s, he could flourish at Liverpool. It’s a sad moment as another figure in the Reds’ success of recent years departs. But onwards and upwards we go.
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