Liverpool can't repeat £154m mistake as Naby Keita forces transfer re-think

Even Naby Keita’s staunchest of supporters would struggle to argue he has lived up to his £52.75m price-tag since joining Liverpool in 2018.

The Guinean has enjoyed something of a rollercoaster Reds career so far, and now, three and a half years into life at Anfield, that doesn’t look likely to change anytime soon.

His Liverpool career has been littered with highs and lows as the midfielder struggles for consistency in between recurring injury problems.

For every screamer scored against Chelsea, there is a first-half substitution against Real Madrid following a poor performance. For every outstanding display at Old Trafford, there is a lengthy injury lay-off just on the horizon.

Yes, he is an English champion but he made just 18 Premier League appearances in 2019/20.

Yes, he is an European champion but he featured just six times in the Champions League in 2018/19 and missed the final through injury, having limped off in the semi-final first-leg defeat to Barcelona.

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And while he is a world champion, too, the FIFA Club World Cup final is the only final he has actually featured in for the Reds, with an injury suffered in training on the eve of the European Super Cup final ruling him out on that occasion.

Liverpool have ultimately grown accustomed to such frustrations when it comes to the Guinean midfielder.

Jurgen Klopp knows Keita won’t be available to him every week and there will be some matches where he proves to be pretty anonymous. But when he’s fit and on form, he is simply unplayable.

Keita caught the eye last month when captaining