“It’s done!” – Next Liverpool transfer has penned huge deal
By David Gate
Liverpool have secured another huge transfer as they go about improving the midfield ahead of a push for the 2018/19 Premier League title.
That’s two for this transfer window. Liverpool have followed up the signing of Fabinho from Monaco with the welcoming of the long-awaited transfer of Naby Keita from RB Leipzig for £52 million.
The transfer will not be completed until the agreed July 1st date from a year ago. But he is in the building at Melwood and was handed the famous number 8 shirt from its last incumbent; club legend Steven Gerrard.
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The Glasgow Rangers manager was still on staff at Liverpool when he met Naby Keita last summer and handed over the shirt for Keita to be the next midfield dynamo to dominate the Premier League in the red number 8 kit.
Liverpool have been accused of lacking some bite, pace and drive in the middle of the park over the last few seasons. Naby Keita essentially ends that complaint.
Most Reds are expecting to see Fabinho as the primary defensive midfielder with Naby Keita as the driving, box-to-box force next to him.
Currently Jordan Henderson stands to be the third player in Jurgen Klopp’s midfield three. He is the club captain and has been excellent for England at the FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Although we project those three as the ‘first choice’ midfield there is likely to be constant rotation from the manager if last season was any indication. Klopp will tailor different midfield combos to face different opposition.
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The Reds also have Gini Wijnaldum, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as international level central midfielders. They can also use Adam Lallana or Marko Grujic. While many would like to see another midfielder come into the squad this summer, my guess is that Naby Keita will be the final piece in this window.