26-year-old Naby Keita is dropping in order at Liverpool, Barnes admits, but the Reds legend feels a player who can’t go anywhere until January may be happy to fill the Anfield squad role.
What did Barnes say about Naby keita?
Much more was expected of the Guinean international when, at the end of a protracted transfer saga, in the summer of 2018 it completed a big money transfer to Merseyside. Naby Keita was part of the Champions League and Premier League title-winning sides, but the fight for form and fitness saw him host just 80 appearances and led to the inevitable conversation going out.
Speaking to the association, when asked if Naby Keita – who has a contract until 2023 – has a long-term future in Liverpool, John Barnes said that Naby Keita hadn’t played many games since joining, but he was cursed with injuries.
Naby has a future at the club, but Barnes doesn’t know if it will be long term. The players don’t think long term, they think about whether they can get into the team this season, and obviously Keita might think he’s okay, but he’s in the club and he can’t go anywhere until January. Whether Keita has a long-term future at the club is up to him. Naby has a contract, and if he’s happy not to play every week, that’s his choice.
It’s the same for every player, if they don’t play they are unhappy so they want to go play more regularly, but according to Barnes, they’ve seen players stay at the club for four or five years without playing regularly, so maybe Naby is one of them. But if you choose your best Liverpool team, Keita won’t be on it.
A little about Naby Keita
Naby Keita, 26, has made four appearances for the Reds this season, with three of those appearances starting. Klopp gives Keita an opportunity to prove his worth, but Liverpool is well-equipped for central midfielders and the competition for seats is fierce. The likes of Fabinho, Henderson, Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones and James Milner are all looking for minutes in this area of the field.
Naby will need to elevate his game to nail down a regular role while steering without the wrestling injuries that have held him back from time to time, and it remains to be seen if he will be given new terms as part of an efficient run for Liverpool to the front of the renewal.