Liverpool fans will have no doubt thought they would escape a contract saga in the 2022/23 season after Mo Salah finally agreed a contract extension.
Certainly it’s good news that will have left the Merseysiders’ marketing department with eyes bigger than its belly when it comes to shirt sales. On the fanbase’s side, it can be frustrating not having the right support for keeping an eye on the whereabouts of an item – everyone wants to feel reassured when they see the words ‘tracking package‘.
Though certainly not of a similar magnitude, they’ll have been let down in that department by ongoing speculation over Naby Keita’s future.
Now, it seems Julian Ward and Co. will be made to wait until the winter window before the No.8 will open talks over the possibility of extending his stay at Anfield beyond 2023, according to a tweet from Christian Falk (as has also been relayed by the Echo).
TRUE
Naby Keita won‘t Talk with @liverpoolfc about a new contract before january #EnglischeWoche @BILD_Sport pic.twitter.com/C8OzUGj24j
— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) October 5, 2022
It’s a situation that leaves the Reds in a somewhat difficult position given that they face losing as many as three midfielders in the next summer window with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner also possessing expiring contracts.
That’s without getting on to the difficult topic of ageing midfielders with both Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara in their 30s.
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Jurgen Klopp remains a big fan of Naby Keita and will be determined to see the Guinean remain at Anfield beyond 2023
Another midfield crisis next season? Or all solved in the summer window?
We do know Liverpool are keeping an extremely close eye on Jude Bellingham ahead of the end of the season – as are most of Europe’s top outfits.
Should we prove successful in our pursuit of the England international, however, it’s an addition that would massively bolster a department hardly bereft of world-class quality as it is.
Even then, though, we feel at least another midfield signing would feel necessary to both ensure that we have the numbers capable of challenging on all fronts in 2023/24 and also that the future of the midfield is appropriately safeguarded.
Naby Keita: Time to extend his contract?
There has been speculation over whether Liverpool could benefit from allowing an interested party to take advantage of the former RB Leipzig star’s expiring contract in order to snag another key target.
With Borussia Dortmund allegedly interested in the 27-year-old, some have already suggest that we could arrange a pre-agreement that sees Bellingham’s potential exit from Germany covered by the inbound Reds star.
It’s a fantasy, as things currently stand, and we’d be arguably far better off pushing for a more realistic aim, for example, getting Keita to sign on the dotted line on a brand new contract.
If we can limit our exits to two in the summer, it arguably puts us in a far better position when we’re then looking to strengthen.
The post Liverpool star now won’t entertain contract talks until January – Christian Falk appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.
