#3 Naby Keita
Liverpool’s three-man midfield is currently doing the job with no European commitments. However, with European football next season, Liverpool need both depth and quality in the squad.
Jordan Henderson’s foot problems do not seem to end and he has not kicked a ball since the end of February. Emre Can has been filling in superbly for him but an injury to Adam Lallana meant Can had to play further ahead while Lucas Leiva filled in the holding midfield role.
Lucas is only an experienced stop-gap option and can expect to be sold in the summer. Georginio Wijnaldum has settled in well in his role and Marko Grujic still needs time to adapt to the league. Therefore, it is important for the club to acquire the services of a first-team quality player.
Also Read: Scout Report: Naby Keita, RB Leipzig's young midfielder
In the current scenario, rising Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita might turn out to be the perfect signing for Klopp and owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG). At 22 years of age, he is young and yet delivering in one of the toughest leagues, making him a good option for FSG.
He is versatile enough to play in the holding midfield role due to his athleticism, technique and the fact that he averages over 3 interceptions per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga. However, he is even more suited to the box-to-box role where his work-rate, dribbling and attacking capabilities have fetched him 8 goals and 7 assists in 27 league appearances.
Overall, Keita would represent a superb signing for the Reds and his addition will bolster the midfield in a major way, something the club need going into next season. Klopp must sign the Guinean as he represents the perfect investment with the potential to be a world-class player in the near future.
(Video Courtesy – Bundesliga YouTube Channel)