MX23RW : Friday, December 13 17:12:09| >> :60:619:619:

Naby Keita 'to leave Liverpool on a free transfer this summer'

Naby Keita 'to leave Liverpool on a free transfer this summer'
© Reuters
Liverpool will allow central midfielder Naby Keita to leave the club on a free transfer this summer, according to a report.

Liverpool have reportedly made the decision to allow Naby Keita to leave the club on a free transfer.

The 27-year-old's current deal with the Reds is due to expire at the end of June, meaning that he is currently free to hold discussions with foreign clubs over a move.

Keita has made 123 appearances for Liverpool since arriving from RB Leipzig in 2018, scoring 11 goals and registering seven assists in the process.

However, he has largely struggled to make his mark for Jurgen Klopp's side, with injuries and a lack of form making it difficult for him to hold down a regular spot in the XI.

Keita has only just recovered from a hamstring issue, and he has featured in Liverpool's last four Premier League games against Aston Villa, Leicester City, Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Liverpool's Naby Keita with a late challenge on Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah during the EFL Cup final on February 27, 2022.© Reuters

According to Football Insider, Liverpool have recently held talks with the midfielder over an extension to his current deal, with the club reluctant to lose him for nothing at the end of the season.

However, the report claims that the Merseyside giants have now pulled the plug on contract talks, and Keita will therefore leave on a free transfer at the end of June.

Liverpool are believed to have wanted the Guinea international to take a substantial pay cut in order to remain at Anfield due to his poor injury record.

Keita played the final 22 minutes of his team's 3-0 loss to Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, replacing Fabinho for the latter stages of the contest.

Liverpool boss Klopp admitted after the match that his side deserved to lose against the Seagulls.

Brighton & Hove Albion's Solly March celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on January 14, 2023© Reuters

"Congratulations to Brighton, they played an outstanding game. I really thought in moments we made it a little bit too easy for them, but in general they played outstanding and we didn't. We tried to help the boys with slightly different organisation," Klopp told reporters.

"I actually thought it could have worked pretty well; we had moments where it worked well, where we put them under pressure, but in all situations when we won the ball we lost the balls in the moment much too easy. That's the main problem, so it means we never get this something going.

"Brighton was better for the whole 90 minutes, but it is 0-0 at half-time, so it is allowed for us as well to play not a good half. We have a kind of result and let's go from there, but then obviously the second half started with the worst possible start.

"Being 1-0 down and the game it was already clear already that one team is ready to play a really good game and one team fights with themselves pretty much to get something going.

"That's then the worst possible start and that's what everybody saw then. The problems are the same like last week when we spoke about it: we don't win the key battles on the pitch, the key challenges, and we give the ball away too easily."

Liverpool will be bidding to return to winning ways when they travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night for an FA Cup third-round replay.

ID:504291:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect5231:
Written by
Matt Law

Click here for more stories about Naby Keita

Click here for more stories about Liverpool

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain warms up for Liverpool in July 2022
Read Next:
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 'could leave Liverpool this month'
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
1.15am
Rams
@
49ers
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!