Barcelona are reportedly among a host of clubs that have made contact with Liverpool over the availability of midfielder Naby Keita ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to an exclusive report from Anfield Central, La Liga heavyweights Barcelona have submitted an enquiry to Liverpool over the possibility of making a move for Naby Keita in the summer.
Keita arrived at Liverpool in 2018, a year after a deal was agreed to secure his signing from RB Leipzig. Having enjoyed a fine couple of seasons in Germany, there were a lot of expectations riding on the Guinean when he made his way to Anfield. However, it has been quite a difficult journey for the 26-year-old in England till date.
While injuries have been constantly hampering his development, Keita, even when fit, has lacked the element of consistency in his game and, as a result, has failed to establish himself as a regular under Jurgen Klopp in almost three years at the club. Now, it is said that the Reds are considering cutting their losses on the midfielder who arrived in a deal worth £52 million.
This development has sparked interest from a host of clubs in England as well as Europe. Fellow top-four rivals Leicester City are interested in securing the services of Keita while former club RB Leipzig are also closely monitoring the situation. Amidst this, Barcelona, too, have made an enquiry about the midfielder’s potential availability in the upcoming window.
Barcelona, since last summer, have been heavily linked with another Liverpool midfielder in Georginio Wijnaldum. The Dutchman’s contract expires at the end of the season and the Catalan giants were said to have wrapped up a pre-contract agreement with him already. However, that may not be the case, with interest in Wijnaldum cooling off in recent weeks.
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Instead, they seem to have turned their attention towards Keita, who, despite his struggles at Anfield, remains a supremely talented player and can be an asset to any side if he is able to shrug off his injury woes. With Sergio Busquets not getting any younger and question marks over the future of Sergi Roberto, the signing of a new central midfielder would be very much warranted at Barcelona.
However, along with Barcelona, the likes of Atalanta, Borussia Monchengladbach, Inter Milan and Sevilla have also made enquiries while Leicester and RB Leipzig are said to hold a firm interest in Keita’s services. Liverpool, as per the report, value the Guinean at around £35 million. It now remains to be seen if Barcelona do act on their reported interest in the 26-year-old.
