Naby Keita inherits Liverpool's number eight shirt

Liverpool have confirmed that summer signing Naby Keita has been handed the club's iconic number eight shirt.

The former RB Leipzig midfielder will become the first player to wear the jersey since club legend Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard, who was named as Rangers boss this summer, handed the shirt to Keita behind closed doors at the club's Melwood training ground last August.

"It was an incredible day for me." 🔴

Naby Keita has revealed how he was left astounded when Steven Gerrard handed the No.8 jersey over to him: https://t.co/G3708QjuPH#NK8 pic.twitter.com/bFAFVFWKcx

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 27, 2018

"It was an incredible day for me. He gave me the No.8 jersey. When it happened, it was a surprise and I didn't expect it," Keita told Liverpool's official website.

"When he came in, I looked at him and said, 'wow' because he is a legend. He is somebody who always showed respect, who gave his all on the pitch, somebody who is loved here.

"If somebody like that gives you his shirt number, it's not to play around with, it is to try and do as much as he did - that's my motivation."

Gerrard left Liverpool to join Los Angeles Galaxy in 2015.