Liverpool star ‘on verge’ of departure as trusted reporter rules out one exit route but leaves door ajar for another

A respected reporter has clarified the situation regarding one of the likeliest players to leave Liverpool in 2023.

Something just isn’t quite right at Liverpool at the moment. Their form this season has been considerably worse than last term. As a result, they may need to evolve their squad in the summer, so some players are fighting for their futures.

Those whose contracts are due to expire at the end of the season should be the first to go. The midfield trio of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could all become free agents by June.

Vice-captain Milner might still be worthy of a squad role, despite his age. But Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain have both struggled with injuries, so won’t be worth keeping around, despite their talents.

There could be particular regret that Keita’s Liverpool career has not exactly gone to plan. He arrived from RB Leipzig in 2018 with high hopes. However, he has only played 82 times in the Premier League in the ensuing four-and-a-half years.

The Guinea international has shown glimpses of his quality, but not on a consistent basis. Therefore, it is unlikely that he will be rewarded with a contract extension at Anfield.

In January, reports indicated that Liverpool had ended talks with Keita about his contract, since they could not find a compromise on his salary. However, when the January transfer window closed, Liverpool had not managed to sell the 27-year-old.

A chance has remained to offload him, though, thanks to the window still being open in other territories, like Turkey. Galatasaray have supposedly been showing an interest in Keita.

Sky Sports Germany expert Florian Plettenberg has now issued a clarification of the situation surrounding the former RB Leipzig star.

According to Plettenberg, Keita “won’t join Galatasaray”, though “many clubs are interested” in him elsewhere. It is “not excluded” that he could end up back in the German Bundesliga.

Wherever he goes, Keita is “on [the] verge” of leaving Liverpool on a free transfer in the summer.

Time right for Keita and Liverpool to drift apart

While other outlets have declared a contract extension as being out of the equation, Plettenberg concludes it is “unlikely at this stage”, suggesting no definitive decision has been made. But what will happen is starting to become obvious.

That said, Keita has regained his place in Liverpool’s lineup in recent weeks. Indeed, Jurgen Klopp has chosen him as a starter in each of their four most recent fixtures: a win over Wolves, a draw with Chelsea, and losses to Brighton and Wolves.

Although Keita could be useful for the remainder of the season as a depth option, it isn’t exactly like Liverpool’s form as a whole is showing the benefits of having him in the team, even though their poor results aren’t entirely his fault.

Therefore, it should be right for Liverpool to draw a line under Keita’s time with the club. Maybe heading back to the Bundesliga, where he was previously more effective, might be a sensible decision.

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