REPORT: Liverpool Midfield General Set To Leave Club On A Free Transfer

REPORT: Liverpool Midfield General Set To Leave Club On A Free Transfer

Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita is set to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the 2022/23 season, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano on Twitter.

In Romano’s tweet, he wrote: “Naby Keita will leave Liverpool on a free transfer. No changes on the plan for him and Oxlade-Chamberlain, decisions are made since November — and same will happen for Arthur Melo’s loan.”

Keita initially joined Liverpool in 2018, after the club activated his minimum fee release clause the previous year. In total, the Guinean cost Liverpool a total price of £52.75 million.

Looking back, it is very difficult to justify this fee. In total, Keita scored just seven goals for the Scousers across 84 Premier League games – he was not the dynamic, attacking-focused central midfielder they hoped he may have been. He can play in virtually every midfield role imaginable – but he excels at none of them.

It wasn’t all his fault – the 28-year-old has had rotten luck with injuries throughout his stay in Merseyside. He has certainly had his moments – the 2021/22 season was perhaps his best campaign at the club – but overall, his spell was underwhelming.

Liverpool have had plenty of problems in midfield this season. As such, they will need to replace Keita in the summer – a potential candidate could be Mason Mount, who the Reds have been heavily linked with in recent months.