Naby Keita’s agent Bjorn Bezemer has touted his client to various European clubs and has purposely leaked information to journalists in Europe about the midfielder not being 100% happy at Liverpool, EOTK can reveal.
The news has been rubbished by sources close to Liverpool, but that’s because Keita’s agent chose to ignore the regular Liverpool journalists and speak to reporters in Germany instead.
Jurgen Klopp has similarly not had a conversation with Keita or Bezemer, but the move by the pair to express disdain is very much planned.
Keita may sign a new contract, but only if the financial incentive is good and more importantly, he sees himself getting regular minutes in Klopp’s first-choice XI.
Keita has missed both games so far with illness, but is training again and is in contention to start against Manchester United on Monday, especially given the current injury crisis and the woeful manner in which the midfield has currently performed this term.
The timing of the news, first broken by Florian Plettenberg and then denied by those at Liverpool, is no accident, and can be read as Keita putting pressure on the manager and sporting director for money and minutes.
Klopp won’t play games of course, although there is no chance he would want Keita to leave this summer given the limited options at his current disposal.
Liverpool’s manager wants Jude Bellingham and is willing to wait until 2023 to get his man. There have been whispers that an agreement has already been verbally agreed between the parties, although EOTK cannot confirm this.
Klopp had the option of signing Mattheus Nunes but along with Julian Ward, turned down the Portuguese star just bought by Wolves. Interestingly, Nunes was holding out for Liverpool to submit a bid, but was hurried along to finalise the transfer by super-agent Jorge Mendes when it became apparent we wouldn’t make a move.