Topic: Naby Keita Watch

[kaesarsosei]

Any official news on Keita. Yes I know water is wet, but havent had an update on his progress since being hauled off vs R Madrid.

I think his head has probably gone after Madrid and we won't see him again this season. He either needs the break to maybe come back with a clean slate or if any sort of favourable deal can be done with him I'm sure he would be moved on. Even £30m would be a decent enough return and we're getting to the stage (unbelievably) where the time remaining on his contract will start to be an issue.

[Cafe De Paris]

I would rather we kept Minamino, if we are looking to sell.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

I would rather we kept Minamino, if we are looking to sell.

Minamino isn't good enough.

Keita has the ability but can't stay healthy consistently to impose himself on this team. Shame as he's got all the tools, but if we get a good offer for him, I can't see him staying.

[mrantarctica]

Very hypothetical but if selling Keita meant that we had the funds for a top CB (e.g. Konate if you believe papers saying we are after him) then would this be a good deal?

[G a r y]

Any deal we could make to sell Keita would be a good deal.

[tubby]

The teams he's been linked with shows how far his stock has fallen.  But I'd still be amazed if he ended up at a mid-table team in the PL, surely a move to a team like Atletico would be the way to go.  There's a great player in there somewhere, just has to stay fit and find himself again.

[Gerry Attrick]

I cannot think of a worse team to play for than Atletico for a player like Keita. He could get injured buttering toast, Simeone’s crew run themselves into the ground. I reckon he goes back to Germany. Dortmund, Leipzig or Leverkusen I reckon.

[MonsLibpool]

There is no point keeping him. We need our squad players atm to ease the pressure on the first team and, as expected, he's injured.

[VVM]

How much would we even realistically get? I could see him staying purely due to nobody offering a reasonable amount for him.

[mickeydocs]

I get the impression that Keita is great when given a free role to roam about and get involved when and where he likes. That's not to say he's a luxury player, he's incredibly hard-working, but maybe not disciplined/tactically minded enough to sit back and cover when he needs to.

Came across a quote from Naby’s agent that is in line with the quote above:

Malick Kebe
@MalickKebe8
Le jour que l’entraîneur Klopp va faire jouer Naby Keita à son poste de prédilection, vous verrez ce qu’il va apporté à Liverpool. C’est un meneur de jeu et non un récupérateur. À bon entendeur salut.

In summary Naby’s a creator not a scavenger

[Jookie]

I cannot think of a worse team to play for than Atletico for a player like Keita. He could get injured buttering toast, Simeone’s crew run themselves into the ground. I reckon he goes back to Germany. Dortmund, Leipzig or Leverkusen I reckon.

Got to wonder if his wages would be restrictive for the likes of RBL and Bayer L. Assume he’d be the highest paid player at both these clubs. Potentially be a fair bit.

[markmywords]

How much would we even realistically get? I could see him staying purely due to nobody offering a reasonable amount for him.

Finally commonsense detected!!

We are better off trying to rehab him the best we can and use him as a squad player for the next 2 yrs.

 Any club wanting him are likely to want a loan first, then we are likely to get aquilani'd down to tuppence as the contract wears down.  Sure he is a good player but if he goes on loan first, he is likely to get injured and we are back to square 1, may as well make square 1 work for us and use him in the only way that can likely work for us potentially ... in our squad

The idea of post pandemic clubs spending 20m+ and then  120k a week on keita, is fanciful with his injury record

[tubby]

Feels like we've been trying to rehab him and get him up and running for the past two years.  At what point do you just cut your losses and get his wages off the books.

[markmywords]

Feels like we've been trying to rehab him and get him up and running for the past two years.  At what point do you just cut your losses and get his wages off the books.

What does cut your losses mean? selling him for 5m, maybe 10m?

 His injury record is poor, he is resembling Aqilani who we eventually sold for under 1m, and there was no global pandemic back then.  The market for injury prone, frail players who haven't had a proper run since 2018, (who are due to spend most of jan/feb at AFCON) is a bit bearish. We are likely going to keep him whether we want to or not, so better make the best of it, there is a real talent there, if my memory serves me right

[Cafe De Paris]

Is he fit for tomorrow!

[Red-Soldier]

Is he fit for tomorrow!

That's a good one 

[RedSince86]

I read on LFC Reddit yesterday that a Guinean Journo says he's suffered a hamstring injury.

[Red-Soldier]

I read on LFC Reddit yesterday that a Guinean Journo says he's suffered a hamstring injury.

Might as well just stick a fork in him.

[newterp]

Doesn’t matter - he wasn’t going to play tomorrow anyway.

Hopefully he recovers soon.

[Caligula?]

There's just no point anymore. We have to try and recoup as much as we can for him and also free up wages and a place in the first team squad. The situation is beyond ridiculous.

[macmanamanaman]

I read on LFC Reddit yesterday that a Guinean Journo says he's suffered a hamstring injury.

Its not Naby lads fault.
Its the voodoo dolls that are linked to him, Matip and Ox. They ve got no chance.

Lallana, Sturridge were similar.

[Gaius Baltar]

I remember the days when I couldn’t wait to see the lad play.

Now I don’t even check it he’s in the squad or even notice if he isn’t. He’s the physical embodiment of a shoulder shrug isn’t he? He certainly doesn’t play at a level on the pitch that makes you lament the fact he’s been out even when he is available. He’s needs a fresh start for his own sake never mind ours.

[Wingman]

Very hypothetical but if selling Keita meant that we had the funds for a top CB (e.g. Konate if you believe papers saying we are after him) then would this be a good deal?

If he is sold then I’d hope that funds went towards a midfielder. We’ve been unlucky with injuries at CB this season but we have Virg, Gomez, Matip, Kabak?, Nat, Davies and Rhys for 2 positions. If we sold Naby (and Gini leaves) we have 6 midfielders for 3 positions. Milner’s 35? And Ox isn’t famed for his always fit and available status!

[PeterTheRed ...]

Very hypothetical but if selling Keita meant that we had the funds for a top CB (e.g. Konate if you believe papers saying we are after him) then would this be a good deal?

If we do sell Keita this summer, it will be to finance the signing of a new 4th choice midfielder, behind Fabinho, Thiago and Henderson, who will eventually take over the starting role from Henderson ...

[Red1976]

If we do sell Keita this summer, it will be to finance the signing of a new 4th choice midfielder, behind Fabinho, Thiago and Henderson, who will eventually take over the starting role from Henderson ...

It may be the case that we sign one attacking midfielder to replace both Wijnaldum and Keita seeing that we have a number of central midfielders.

[rossipersempre]

If we do sell Keita this summer, it will be to finance the signing of a new 4th choice midfielder, behind Fabinho, Thiago and Henderson, who will eventually take over the starting role from Henderson ...

Seems Alkmaar’s Koopmeiners is a name being bandied around. Doubt he’d be coming as 4th choice, more likely to push for a starting place...stepping into Gini’s grave so to speak.

[JC the Messiah]

If we do sell Keita this summer, it will be to finance the signing of a new 4th choice midfielder, behind Fabinho, Thiago and Henderson, who will eventually take over the starting role from Henderson ...

Jones

[Suareznumber7]

Here's an idea.  Why not just keep him around? 

If, as many of you say, he's the 4th or 5th choice midfielder do we really need to sell him and bring someone else in to play the same amount of games as he will?  We won't find anyone as good as him to be 4th/5th choice and there's always the chance that he stays fit.  In which case, we've got one hell of a midfield. 

[Legs]

Here's an idea.  Why not just keep him around? 

If, as many of you say, he's the 4th or 5th choice midfielder do we really need to sell him and bring someone else in to play the same amount of games as he will?  We won't find anyone as good as him to be 4th/5th choice and there's always the chance that he stays fit.  In which case, we've got one hell of a midfield.

Yeah I’d sell if we could as he is never fit and earns around £100k a week.

[PeterTheRed ...]

Jones

Jones is too young and inexperienced to be our 4th choice midfielder next season. More likely the 5th choice next season, and a long-term successor for Thiago ...

[ScubaSteve]

Yeah I’d sell if we could as he is never fit and earns around £100k a week.

I think he’s a talent but what’s the point when he’s injured all the time. I’d sell him!
Disgusting the wages players are on and not even kicking a ball 

[Asam]

Here's an idea.  Why not just keep him around? 

If, as many of you say, he's the 4th or 5th choice midfielder do we really need to sell him and bring someone else in to play the same amount of games as he will?  We won't find anyone as good as him to be 4th/5th choice and there's always the chance that he stays fit.  In which case, we've got one hell of a midfield.

He’s not happy here, he wants to play a more creative role and there’s no point keeping someone who isn’t motivated

Bissouma + A quality creative midfielder leaves us stronger than Gini + Keita

[Schmidt]

Came across a quote from Naby’s agent that is in line with the quote above:

Malick Kebe
@MalickKebe8
Le jour que l’entraîneur Klopp va faire jouer Naby Keita à son poste de prédilection, vous verrez ce qu’il va apporté à Liverpool. C’est un meneur de jeu et non un récupérateur. À bon entendeur salut.

In summary Naby’s a creator not a scavenger

Sounds about right but sucks to see it said by his agent, players can be creative in our system but they have to be willing to do the dirty work first.

Klopp's quote about Jones sounds relevant: "Defending like a soldier, attacking like a Scouser."

If Naby is really unhappy about not having a freer role for us then I think that probably spells the end of his time here.

[harleydanger]

Jones is too young and inexperienced to be our 4th choice midfielder next season. More likely the 5th choice next season, and a long-term successor for Thiago ...

I think Jones is why we’re letting Gini go. You can see it in how he is being asked to play and where.

[BarryCrocker]

Jones is too young and inexperienced to be our 4th choice midfielder next season. More likely the 5th choice next season, and a long-term successor for Thiago ...

Yet most on here think the like of Sancho (20), Tonali (21) or Foden (20) as game changers. Jones knows the system and is no different to Stevie G in starting his career.

[Lofty Ambitions]

Its not Naby lads fault.
Its the voodoo dolls that are linked to him, Matip and Ox. They ve got no chance.

Lallana, Sturridge were similar.

There seems to be a Harry Cool jinx on Naby Lad. You just know the talent is there, he even shows it in  spells. Just can't stay fit for a consistent performance. Too bad really. You just know there's a Rolls Royce of a player underneath. 

[19th Nervous Title]

What does cut your losses mean? selling him for 5m, maybe 10m?

 His injury record is poor, he is resembling Aqilani who we eventually sold for under 1m, and there was no global pandemic back then.  The market for injury prone, frail players who haven't had a proper run since 2018, (who are due to spend most of jan/feb at AFCON) is a bit bearish. We are likely going to keep him whether we want to or not, so better make the best of it, there is a real talent there, if my memory serves me right

The other option is spend 10M on wages and let him go on a free in two years after he's played another 20 games, including sub appearances.

It's a dilemma. We're going to take a bath on him whichever way we go.

[AndyMuller]

How can Naby moan about wanting a more creative role when he is spending most of his time in the treatment room or on the bench anyway? Hope we recoup a good bit of what we paid for him.

[jacobs chains]

How can Naby moan about wanting a more creative role when he is spending most of his time in the treatment room or on the bench anyway? Hope we recoup a good bit of what we paid for him.

I'll bet on less than half.

It's a shame really because he can be a top player, just not on a regular basis. In terms of what we've got out of his signing, and what he cost, I think he's been the worst value for money since Joe Cole/Balotelli.

[Sangria]

How can Naby moan about wanting a more creative role when he is spending most of his time in the treatment room or on the bench anyway? Hope we recoup a good bit of what we paid for him.

The best we can do is hope Dortmund fancies him and will do a 50m quid pro 80m quo deal for Sancho.