Liverpool have been trying to sign Naby Keita from Leipzig for a long time and Klopp must now look for an alternative.
In less than a month, the new season will begin and the German boss needs to sign key players as soon as possible to give them time to settle before the PL kicks off.
In such a scenario, the former Borussia Dortmund manager must forget about signing Keita and in my opinion, Liverpool have to secure the signing of Croatian international and Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
In the last campaign, Zidane preferred the likes of Kroos, Modric and Casemiro in his midfielder and therefore, Mateo had to warm the bench more often than not. He only started 19 league games, scored 1 goal and provided 3 assists.
Also Read: Price Agreed – Klopp to Secure $13million Signing for Liverpool
The 23-year-old former Inter Milan star is a complete midfielder, who is more versatile than Keita. Not to forget, the Guinean international has only impressed in one season of top flight football whereas, the Croatian international was a star in the Serie A before joining Madrid.
Kovacic can play as a creative central midfielder, an attacking midfielder and also as a holding midfielder. The Reds have lacked a top DM in their team and Kovacic can play that role effectively unlike Keita, who is more of an attack minded midfielder.
Mateo needs to play regular first team football next season to earn a place in the national side for the next year’s World Cup. Liverpool can and must solve that dilemma for him.
Keita is rated around 70 million pounds (BBC). On the other hand, Kovacic’s contract (expires 2021) has got a release clause (Mirror) of just 21.8 million pounds ($28million) and Liverpool have to splash that sum to agree his signing.
In your opinion, should Liverpool sign Naby Keita or Mateo Kovacic?
Keita Alternative – Liverpool have to Agree $28million Midfielder Signing
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Another underwhelming story. This lad was a dead cert to sign for Liverpool 2 years ago, he was all over social media with his Croatian teammate Dejan Lovren. Overall not a bad player but while signing players that have previously snubbed us (and failed the step up) isn’t the end of the world, it does make you wonder if FSG/LFC will ever mix it with the big dogs when it comes to spending?? After all if they were serious about Keita & Van Dijk they’d already be in Hong Kong.
How would Keita and VVD be in Hong Kong now?
You assume money is the only thing stopping them from moving, small matter of Southampton and RB to contend with.
If they say no then falling short of the player going on strike here lies the impasse!
The transfer market is slightly more complex than Fifa17!
Patience is what is needed.
Y.N.W.A
Definetely Keita, his numbers speak for themselves why risk on an unproven young lad at this point?
Josef, come on Keita ain’t proven, Leipzig bought him last summer, he has played 1 full season and got some amazing stats, but then look at Torres, came to LFC was amazing the first season and then went down hill. Also Keita is unproven in the Premiership, look at the likes of Di Maria, Falco, pogba even to a certain extent, all amazing players in their own right, but in the premiership two of them failed miserably and 1 is struggling. So 3 players all costing over 50 million each and all of them amounted to an absolute waste of money. Keita I personally think would fall into that bracket and not only that but if Keita was to come to LFC (which he won’t) when he falls short of the target. How many LFC fans are going to moan about the amount of money wasted on him like so many before in the past. I trust Klopp and I’m sure whomever he brings in will help us towards our fight to win the premiership. YNWA
What a shame. You were doing so well there for a moment as well Simon. And then you came out with utter drivel in the last sentence. Transfers are not that simple. Did you not read what Klopp has been saying in recent times.
……”“What is the challenge? To convince the players or the challenge to have the money. We pretty much have all what you need. But at the end it is still business, whether you have the money or not…
So we have the money and we’ve convinced the players….
….You say “here is the money” but they say to you “I don’t want to sell. You say “but I have got the money!” but they say “I don’t want to sell.” Things like this happen in life, not only football.
Are you starting to realise how difficult transfer can be yet Simon???
Keita all day long
Blue, I’m sorry to inform you but we will not be buying Keita, as his club also have Champions league football and therefore won’t want to sell him. If you watched the market on that one player since we became interested, he originally supposedly had a buy out clause of 48 million euros, we actually offered 57 million euros, 9 million more than the asking price, they rejected it. But the clause stated 48m Euros. They then stated if we put up 60 million we can have him, 62.7 million bid and again refused, but wait a minute, that’s nearly 15 miiilon more than original buy out clause and what’s happened. The manager has no stated no amount of money will make them sell Keita.
In my own opinion, I would prefered we spend money on valuable players who can still play for years, FSG should’nt mind the money placed keita & dijk. We need strong CD, and a strong DM, so let’s make hay while the sunshine. We need to contend for the title this season not to fight for top 4. Please go for the best.
Another year we will be fooled ,,others dreams coming true and we watching listening excuses
welcome to the CIRCUS once more …
I don’t think either of these two is the amswer to the Liverpool shaped problem. We’ve become far too myopic about Kieta. For the past few seasons our biggest issue is that we concede too many goals from set plays. Is this because our defence is weak? Or is it that they get little support from the rest of the team? What do I mean by that? Liverpool play on a fast paced league where power and presense are as important as skill. We have the shortest outfield lineup in the league, and we’re looking at signing another midget. On a set play with 5 6ft+ players raining in, is Kieta, Clyne, Coutino, Mane and Firmino really going to assist much? We need a box to box midfileder who os also 6’2″ or more
It will take time for Keita to sign for us, Kovacic can fit that space.
Imo, we do not need another versatile midfielder, we have 10 midfielders in our team already and that’s not including the Ines coming through from the academy. We have Coutinho, Firmino (although used as a striker), Wijnaldum, Llalana, Can, Salah, Mane, Milner, Henderson and Grujic. Academy players ready for first team football of the likes of Harry Wilson, Ryan Kent, Ovie Ejari, Sheyi Ojo, Chirivella,Rodrigues de Silva and Jordan Williams, so all in all we have 17 midfield players, we didn’t struggle in midfield, we struggled in defence as per usual. So solidify the defence, but a CDM or put Milner as CDM if we have a replacement LB. Any funds left over then spend them on a decent forward. (Although won’t be either of the two I would have preferred) Lacazette whom we could have had, but we dilly dally over a midfielder that we are never going to sign as the club he plays for also have Champions league football and the VvD saga, wasted nearly 3 weeks of the market for what? Solanke whom was arranged before window even opened and Salah whom joined just as the window opened.
42 days of the window left, what’s the best that come two days left we will have probably bought 1 other player as terms have already been agreed.
I say, go for all three, we need a stronger squad for the champions league and title contention, put the pressure on and get the players in.
I would love Liverpool to get Keita but my concern is that his club don’t need to sell him as Money is not a concern for them so how long do we wait for until we move onto another Midfielder and for me I would also go after
Real Madrids Mateo Kovacic who wants 1st team football and is a great player in his own right and could get for around that €30M mark !!! That way if we get Kovacic atleast we have a top Midfielder/DM and then still go after Keita and start putting a little pressure on the guy to put in a Transfer Request as once he does that the club will know he means Business so I presume Klopps idea of wanting also his team mate Werner will be a definite No go
And then also put pressure on VVD to do the same with a Transfer Request !!! Finally I’m still concerned that the best we can do at LB is Robertson Really ?? What about going after B Munich Juan Bernat who would welcome 1st team football and would be a fantastic fit for Liverpool and have Robertson as back up as I’m sure we will use more then 1 LB during the whole Season ??? And last of all 1 player I can’t beleive we have done nothing about since it was announced he would be leaving in this Transfer window and a Player Klopp has mentioned many times about wanting him at Anfield and that’s Lucas Moura available at €28M and a position I feel we are still 1 player short of even after buying Salah as I would like another winger to cover both sides and who can switch when required !!!! Your thoughts Guys YNWA
Kovacic definitely:Keita to me does not look like a player that will adapt with power and strength needed to thrive in EPL.But he is the one preferred by JK he wants more pace to enhance fluidity in his team.We could still get Kovacic provided is up for sale
We must try as much as possible and rap up the Keita deal. He’s got unrelenting energy and signing him would bring pace and stability into our midfield. With VVD, Keita and Aubameyang, Liverpool would be a force to reckon this season both in Europe and in the premiership
If Kovacic is available at less than half the price of Keita, then why not. It seems like RB Leipzig have made up their minds that Keita is going nowhere next season. I will go for the alternative if he can do the same job and more.