Barcelona are reportedly interested in signing Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita next summer.
According to a report from SPORT, Naby Keita will be a free agent at the end of the season. And Barcelona are looking to snap the Liverpool midfielder up on a Bosman move next summer.
The Catalan giants want to add more quality and depth to the squad and are keeping tabs on multiple free agents across Europe. Along with Keita, Barcelona are monitoring the situation of other Premier League midfielders like Ilkay Gundogan from Manchester City and Youri Tielemans from Leicester City.
All three midfielders are technically-gifted players and should be excellent acquisitions for Barcelona. Signing them on a free transfer will be a major coup, and it will be interesting to see whether they can pull it off.
As far as Keita is concerned, his time at Liverpool has been plagued with persistent injury problems. And he has not been able to showcase his qualities on a consistent basis. However, there is no doubt that he is a top-class midfielder who has been impressive whenever he is fit.
The Liverpool midfielder is now nearing the end of his contract at Anfield. And the rumour mill has suggested that discussions of an extension have not progressed between the two parties.
Liverpool paid around £52 million for the Guinean midfielder, and they will not want to lose the player on a free transfer. It will be interesting to see if they can convince Keita to sign an extension.
As for Keita, he might be keen on a fresh start, and a move to Barcelona is always an attractive proposition for any player. Furthermore, La Liga is not as physical as the Premier League, which could appeal to the Guinean international, who has struggled with fitness issues in recent seasons.
Keita is at the peak of his powers. And if he can sort out his injury problems, he could be a key player for Barcelona in the coming years. Meanwhile, Liverpool are already crying out for reinforcements in the middle, and Keita’s departure will only worsen the situation. Jurgen Klopp will need to bring in multiple signings to revamp his midfield.
