Naby Keita set for AC Milan move after injury-laden Premier League spell

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By Martin Graham | 11th Feb 2023

Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita looks set for an exit from the Merseyside club in the summer with AC Milan reported to hold an interest in his services.

The Guinean midfielder signed from Red Bull Leipzig in 2018 for £52.75 million and was expected to be a bastion of Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool for years to come. However, the fanfare that surrounded his signing and ability soon died a natural death thanks to a slew of injuries and the resulting tactical decisions as well as poor form.

He has gone on to be one of the members of the most successful Liverpool sides in recent history but his contributions are too little to be counted on.

The club look ready to cut their losses with the former Red Bull Salzburg man as they are yet to offer him an extension on his current contract and reports indicate that AC Milan are monitoring the situation closely.

The Mirror, breaking the news, also claims that the Italian giants could face some competition from Keita’s former club Leipzig as well as a few others who believe the 28-year-old still has much to offer at the highest level of football.

Earlier reports suggested that Keita could have moved in the just concluded January transfer window as Leipzig were ready to sign him for a fee. However, Klopp, who was very influential in bringing him to England from Germany, blocked the move for the Guinean, counting on him to help salvage Liverpool’s dire situation.

Seeing as Liverpool are not offering him a new contract, he is currently discussing with other clubs thanks to the Bosman transfer ruling and AC Milan look poised to add him to their ranks ahead of the 2023/24 Serie A season.

Reports also suggest that he feels aggrieved due to certain tactical decisions at the club.

Keita was famously left out if the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League final squad which faced and lost to Real Madrid and he has felt left out ever since. This is why he is leaning towards leaving the club more and more since it became clear that contract negotiations are far from happening.

The Merseysiders could revamp their whole midfield in the summer as James Miller and Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain could all join the former RB Salzburg man in leaving Anfield in the summer.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have their eyes on Borussia Dortmund man Jude Bellingham, which is rumoured to be the reason why they are not keen on keeping the Guinean at Anfield. But just like Keita, they could face an uphill battle with Real Madrid for the 19-year-old midfielder.