Naby Keita will not be sold by Liverpool this summer – or whenever this season ends and the transfer window opens – but next term, the Guinean will have to start making more of an impact on the first-team.
In 2019/20, he’s rarely started in the Premier League, primarily down to niggling injuries keeping him out of action and other players therefore building up more rhythm.
He found a great stint of form in December – and wowed in the Boxing Day win against Leicester City – but has stumbled through this calendar year right up to point the campaign was curtailed by COVID-19.
According to James Pearce of the Athletic, there won’t be any big midfield arrivals, partly due to the emergence of Curtis Jones, but that Keita will need to up his game.
“I don’t think midfield is a priority for Klopp. He’s losing Lallana but I can see Jones playing a bigger role. The manager will also expect a lot more from Keita,” he told a Q&A.
In terms of talent, Keita is exceptional. And we’ve seen on more than a few occasions what he’s capable of at his best, but he desperately needs to find consistent fitness and play with a combination of the freedom and precision that made him the best player in Germany before we snared him from Rb Leipzig.