Liverpool player pulls out of international duty due to injury

Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita has withdrawn from the Guinea international squad for their upcoming friendlies (club football break) due to a knee issue.

The Guinean Football Federation confirmed the aforementioned news yesterday.

Keita has suffered a number of injuries since joining Liverpool back in the summer of 2018. With that being the case, the 27-year-old has only made 101 appearances for the club's first-team in four years.

Anfield Watch Verdict

There is no denying that Keita is a very talented player. Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk has even labelled the Guinea international as "world-class".

The Dutchman told Liverpoolfc.com the following back in July 2020: “Naby is a fantastic guy, he works so hard and he is an outstanding football player. We see it week in and week out. He has unfortunately been unlucky with some injuries, but, hopefully, he can stay fully fit for the next season.

“I think he is world-class if I’m absolutely honest. I see all the moments when he has the ball, the smart moves, the smart intelligence. It’s just incredible to see .”

But, as a result of injuries, Keita has not been able to consistently play for Liverpool. Therefore, it is not good to hear that the 27-year-old is having problems with his knee.

Keita's long-term future at Anfield could be in jeopardy if he can't string some games together.

The midfielder's contract expires in the summer of 2023. In other words, his time at Liverpool could be coming to an end.

The club could potentially lose patience with Keita.

But, we do hope that is not the case, as the Guinea international does possess talent. Hopefully the injury that he has recently suffered is nothing too serious.

Only time will tell where Keita's long-term future lies.