£52m Liverpool flop EXILED from first team as permanent transfer sought

It wasn’t often in the nine years Jürgen Klopp was Liverpool manager that signings didn’t work out, although one name sticks out in that time as being the one that didn’t live up to expectations.

Naby Keita signed for the Reds in the summer of 2018 as one of Europe’s most promising and dynamic midfielders when he arrived from RB Leipzig for £52m. Seen as a quality midfielder who could do everything, the fee seemed like a risk worth taking as Liverpool were looking at further improving after reaching the Champions League final and finishing in the top four in the 2017/18 season. 

Keita was one of four massive signings that summer when he joined alongside Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson, and it’s safe to say that all four did earn success at Anfield winning a Champions League and a Premier League title in their first two seasons.

Read more: Liverpool's most expensive transfers 

However, injuries and a lack of consistency always held Keita back from ever reaching his true potential, and the money paid for him became an uncomfortable topic in debates about the Reds’ usually shrewd transfer plans.

Released at the end of his contract in July 2023, Keita sought a return to the Bundesliga where he had once flourished, and Werder Bremen were happy to oblige, picking the Guinean up on a free.

Bremen struggled to integrate their new signings such as Keita and lower-league marksman Dawid Kownacki properly, with Keita’s usual injury issues flaring up as had frequently been the case with Liverpool. 

Starting just one competitive match all season for Werder and clearly frustrated, Keita refused to board the team bus and headed home before a match with Bayer Leverkusen in April. Since then Keita has been cast out in Bremen, but was the flag bearer for the Guinean Olympic team in Paris this summer.

Now it has been confirmed by his club that Keita is to train away from the first team as they try to offload him, but without any concrete links so far it could be that he finds himself having a very lonely time.