Club left with 'no alternative' other than SUSPEND and FINE £52m Liverpool flop

Liverpool flop Naby Keita has been suspended until the end of the season by his club Werder Bremen and levied with a substantial fine following his weekend no-show. 

The club has claimed that the 29-year-old midfielder refused to travel with the team for a Bundesliga fixture against champions Bayer Leverkusen when he learned that he wouldn’t be part of the starting line up. 

Werder lost 5-0 in a game which confirmed Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen as Bundesliga winners for the first time ever and Keita’s refusal to sit among the substitutes has had serious repercussions around Bremen.

As well as the ban and fine, the Guinea captain has been banished from the training ground and cannot use the club’s first-team facilities. 

“Naby’s behavior cannot be tolerated for us as a club,” said Werder Bremen managing director for sport Clemens Fritz. 

“With this action, he let his team down in a tense sporting and personnel situation and placed himself above the team. 

“We can't allow that. At this stage of the season we need full focus on the remaining games and a team that is very close together. 

“There was therefore no alternative to our measures.”

Keita's career goes off the rails

Keita has had a season to forget in Werder colours since completing a free transfer from Liverpool last summer. 

He has only started ONE league game for the Germans, appearing five times in total, and has suffered a number of injuries which have hampered his progress. 

Keita came off the bench for two recent matches against Union Berlin and Wolfsburg, playing four minutes and 22 minutes respectively and coach Ole Werner was harsh in his criticism following the Wolfsburg game, calling Keita’s performance “sloppy”.

The central midfield, nicknamed “Deco” in his homeland, cost Liverpool £52 million when he signed from RB Leipzig back in 2018 - only four players have cost more - and it was expected that he would become a mainstay under Jurgen Klopp in midfield. 

It never really happened for Keita at Anfield, although he did play his part in some significant trophy wins, starting in successful FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Club World Cup finals. 

But Keita started only 49 Premier League matches in five seasons and is estimated to have missed at least 70 more when unavailable for selection.