Liverpool avoided Sancho situation by axing flop

Tom Weber

• Updated: 19 Dec 2023 12:33 GMT
• 3 min read

Liverpool avoided a potential Jadon Sancho situation by axing Naby Keita in the summer.

The Guinean midfielder departed the Reds after the expiration of his contract, having only made 129 appearances across five seasons in which he notched a meagre 11 goals and seven assists.

Once one of the Bundesliga's most talented midfielders, Liverpool had snapped up Keita from RB Leipzig for a whopping €60 million in 2018, but frequent injuries and poor performances saw him go down as one of the club's biggest flop signings and it was unsurprising that the Reds had no intention to extend his deal.

In a bid to revive his career, the 28-year-old headed back to the Bundesliga, surprisingly signing for relegation-battlers Werder Bremen to plenty of fanfare. However, the club are still waiting for this revival and Keita is quickly becoming an unpopular figure in northern Germany.

Problem child Keita

So far, Keita has only featured in 80 minutes of competitive football for Werder. He has already had to deal with three different injuries since his summer arrival and has spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch this term.

What's more, reliable local outlet DeichStube is now reporting that the midfielder is beginning to annoy club bosses. Not just his fitness issues are proving problematic but also his punctuality. Keita is alleged to have been late for several team meetings and to have refused to attend sponsorship events.

It is claimed that the Guinean is yet to win the trust of club chiefs, which is obviously a major issue as the 28-year-old was a significant investment for a club which has been strapped for cash in recent years.

It is reminiscent of the Jadon Sancho situation at Man Utd. The former Bundesliga winger is still in exile after having been banished from the first team by Erik ten Hag and recent reports have suggested that the €85m man used to frequently show up late. Liverpool made the right decision by moving Keita on.