Barcelona are reportedly interested in securing the services of Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita in the summer transfer window.
According to a report from El Nacional, Barcelona have set their sights on a summer move for Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita, with the Reds ready to sanction a sale.
Keita arrived at Liverpool from German club RB Leipzig in the summer of 2018. Widely regarded as one of the most exciting young midfielders in Europe at the time, the Guinean has failed to live up to expectations at Anfield. Matters haven’t been helped by a series of injuries one after the other that have held him back.
Keita, to date, has featured just 92 times for the Merseyside giants, scoring ten goals and registering five assists. The 26-year-old midfielder will be entering the final year of his contract at the end of the season, and Liverpool, as per the report, do not wish to extend his deal and are ready to cash in on him.
This has piqued the interest of Barcelona, who are now ready to launch a transfer move for the former RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg midfielder in the summer window.
The Catalans have a quality midfield unit that comprises Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Gavi, Nico Gonzalez and Sergio Busquets, while Riqui Puig is also an option at Xavi Hernandez’s disposal. However, there have been question marks over the future of Frenkie de Jong, who has been linked with several top clubs in Europe.
Furthermore, Barcelona lack a midfielder who can offer a physical presence in the centre of the pitch and do the job in a box-to-box capacity, something that Keita would be adept at. To that end, manager Xavi Hernandez is keen on adding the 26-year-old Liverpool star to his ranks, although other clubs like AS Roma, AC Milan, Bayern Munich and West Ham United are also interested.
Liverpool, for their part, would be open to a parting of ways, with the report claiming that the Reds have already informed Keita to find a new club in the summer. It is further stated that a sum of around €30 million could be enough to get the deal done considering his contract situation.
It now remains to be seen if Barcelona decide to step up their pursuit of the midfielder or decide to go after alternatives like Denis Zakaria of Borussia Monchengladbach, who could be available for a free transfer.