Naby Keita was one of the world’s most entertaining midfielders in 2017. In reality, Liverpool decided to activate his £48 million release clause and pay a premium to make the transaction worth over £50 million in order to sign him before any competitions. He had made such an impression at Red Bull Salzburg and subsequently RB Leipzig.
Expectations were so high when the Guinea international joined the Reds before the 2018–19 campaign that he was given Steven Gerrard’s iconic number eight shirt, which had been empty since the club great left in 2015.
He was the club’s most expensive acquisition when he joined Anfield, exceeding the record of £35 million paid to Newcastle for Andy Carroll in 2011, but he turned out to be one of the least successful acquisitions made under Jurgen Klopp. What went wrong for Keita and his plans for 2025 are detailed here.
The Challenges Keita Faced at Liverpool
At Anfield, plagued by injuries
Keita made 16 Premier League appearances and scored two goals during his steady, if uninspired, start to life in England. But after suffering an injury in May that prevented him from participating in the Champions League final victory over Tottenham, he finished the season early.
Despite spending the majority of his second season on the sidelines due to ongoing fitness concerns, he did participate in the final nine league games in a row as Liverpool won their first-ever Premier League championship.
The midfielder’s struggles to secure consistent playing time at Anfield were predicted by the injury issues in his early seasons. He only played in eight league games that season, therefore it seemed likely that he would go at the end of the 2022–2023 campaign. However, Keita later revealed to The Guardian that he had been given a new contract but had preferred to go in order to play more minutes:
“I had the option of extending my stay at Liverpool but, after five years, I wanted to get more playing time elsewhere.”
Liverpool’s Naby Keita statistics
Rivalry
Games
Objectives
Helps
The Premier League
84
7.
5.
League of Champions
24
3.
2.
FA Cup
8.
0
0
The EFL Cup
8.
0
0
World Cup of Clubs
2.
One
0
The Community Shield
3.
0
0
Disaster at Werder Bremen
Fell out with club over lack of game time
Keita rejoined the Bundesliga in June 2023, joining Werder Bremen on a free transfer. But his stay in Germany was a complete catastrophe.
He basically moved for the chance to play, admitting: “I would have signed somewhere else besides Bremen if I wanted the money.” My only motivation in this situation was the chance to play every weekend, have fun, and give pleasure.
However, the midfield player did not receive the playing time he had hoped for, making only five appearances for a total of 107 minutes throughout his first season in Bremen. He made the following observation in light of that: “Unfortunately, things haven’t gone according to plan.”
A falling out between the player and the club was a major factor in that. Following an incident in which Keita allegedly refused to board the team bus after being informed that he would not be starting a game, manager Ole Werner told the media that the player should look for a new club:
“I do think that ever since he joined us, we have always been incredibly straightforward and humane with him.
“Keita is not our issue right now, and I believe that it’s best for both sides to simply look ahead and into the future, to see what good solutions Naby can find for himself and what solutions we can find without him.”
Werder Bremen’s head of football, Clemens Fritz, also criticised Keita’s actions, claiming that he “let his team down.” Although the midfielder refuted the accusations of lack of discipline, he hasn’t played a competitive game of football for the team since March 2024, when he last played for the German team.
Present-day Debt to Ferencvaros
In Hungary, he is reviving his career.
The Guinea international, now 30, left Bremen in January 2025 after agreeing to sign a loan deal with Ferencvarosi TC, a top-tier Hungarian team, which included a permanent purchase option.
It’s interesting to note that Ferencvarosi TC hired a new manager who has a strong connection to Liverpool not long after Keita came. In fact, Robbie Keane, a former Reds attacker, is currently in charge of the Hungarian team.
When Keita played the last few minutes of the February match against Fehervar FC, Keane gave him his debut after he had been out for months recovering to full fitness. After starting six of their most recent games, the Guinean midfielder has emerged as a vital member of the squad.
Keita has made a significant impact even though he hasn’t scored for his new team. When Keita joined the team, Ferencvarosi was in second place. The table is now topped by them. In the Hungarian Cup final, where they are the favourites to win the trophy for the 25th time, he has also assisted his team.
Ferenvarosi FC Stats: Naby Keita
Games
8.
Objectives
0
Helps
One
Minutes
404
Average rating for Flashscore
7.2
Keita has had a significant decline in popularity over the last seven years, especially considering that Liverpool paid £50 million for him in 2018. He still has a lot to give the sport, though, based on his previous performances.
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