What to Expect When Expecting a Naby
It’s clearly an exciting time to be a Liverpool fan.
A Champions League final in Kiev awaits, with the Reds once again at the forefront of European football’s greatest night. Meanwhile, the squad itself continues to grow and develop at the behest of its German architect, led by the season’s most scintillating attack.
That’s not to mention the arrival of one of football’s most impressive young midfielders.
When Liverpool signed Naby Keita from Leipzig, on the proviso that he would …
Is Naby Keita the Phil Coutinho Replacement?
Will this transfer window end?
First Liverpool were getting van Dijk, then they were apologising for getting van Dijk, then they were getting Keita, then they weren’t getting Keita at any price. Salah seemed to take a millennium, Liverpool effectively traded a bang-average Kevin Stewart for a potential-laden Andy Robertson, and the future of Phillipe Coutinho seemed comfortable, given the lack of real disruption.
And then, it didn’t seem all that comfortable. So, should Liverpool give into Phillipe Coutinho’s demands …
Naby Keïta: A Risk Worth Taking?
In my previous two analyses of Naby Keïta I looked at where he would fit in Liverpool's midfield, his personal qualities, and how he compares statistically to some of the top midfielders in the Premier League.
Having gone through his numbers, it would appear he is a perfect fit for Liverpool and Klopp. However, there are two key issues when it comes to Keïta's prospective transfer: the price, and whether his success in 2016/17 can be replicated.
With a reported …
Naby Keïta: A Statistical Analysis
In my first profile of Naby Keïta, I looked at his personal qualities, attributes, and statistics, and then compared him to Gini Wijnaldum, the player who Keita would likely replace in the starting XI, should Liverpool persist with the staggered 4-3-3 system that was broadly successful during the 16-17 season.
In this piece, however, I'll be looking at Naby Keïta's statistics in comparison to the rest of Liverpool's midfielders, in respect to some other Premier League box-to-box, or key midfielders, as …
"It could be a formality" - Chris Williams on Naby Keita Deal
Liverpool have been given a significant boost in their pursuit of RB Leipzig’s superstar midfielder Naby Keita, with the East German side's resolve cracking according to Bundesliga journalist Chris Williams.
Liverpool had a €65 million bid rejected by Leipzig on Thursday, according to BILD. However, after continually affirming that the Guinean international wasn’t for sale, some Leipzig officials appear to be more accepting of the transfer now due to the exorbitant money Liverpool are willing to offer.
“Their stance seems …