"You don’t want too much upheaval in the squad" - Pundit on extending Keita's stay

Pundit Paul Robinson believes that it is vital Liverpool agree new terms with midfielder Naby Keita.

The Guinea international is out of contract at the conclusion of next season, which means that he could depart the club on a free transfer in 12 months time.

Therefore, Robinson believes that it is pivotal Liverpool extend Keita's deal.

“He had a lot of game time last season and he played well. I was really impressed by him,” he told Football Insider.

“When you consider that (Sadio) Mane has gone and that (Mohamed) Salah and (Roberto) Firmino only have a year left it is important that you keep Keita. You don’t want too much upheaval in the squad.

“Keita played a lot better than people expected him to this year. I think he was excellent at times.

“It is very important that they keep him in my eyes. He has been much improved.

“You have to remember that they lost (Georginio) Wijnaldum last year and did not replace him. They can’t really afford to lose another.”

Anfield Watch Verdict

We agree with Robinson. Liverpool can't really afford to lose too many players at once.

Also, as Robinson pointed out, Keita played reasonably well for the Reds last season. He averaged a WhoScored player rating of 6.75 across the 2021-22 campaign (40 appearances).

The aforementioned figures highlight that Keita is a key figure in Jurgen Klopp's squad.

The Athletic's James Pearce has reported, as cited by Anfield Watch's Twitter account, that Liverpool are in the process of agreeing new terms with Keita.

But, only time will tell where his long-term future lies. We will keep you all updated when we have more news.