Kerry Mayodi
According to SportBILD journalist Christian Falk, contract renewal talks between Naby Keita and Liverpool are set to breakdown if a more prominent role in the team is not offered to the player.
Reports had it that the Guinean footballer was set to sign a new contract and extend his current deal, which keeps him at Anfield till 2023.
The Reds are trying to maintain the player’s value, avoiding the mistake they made with Georginio Wijnaldum, allowing the Dutchman to run down his contract and leaving as a free agent last summer.
Talks have since been opened to prevent such a situation considering the price that Liverpool paid to sign Keita from Rb Leipzig in 2018.
Keita would be the latest to renew his deal at Anfield this year, with Alisson Becker, Fabinho Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Jordan Henderson preceding him.
Falk has revealed one stumbling block in negotiations.
“This is not true; English colleagues were perhaps a bit hasty,” he told BILD.
“It is true that there was an initial discussion with his management; of course, they would like to extend the contract with Keita, but he wants to play for them.
“If he doesn’t join the team soon, there won’t be any further progress in extending his contract.
“He can look at his contract, which runs until 2023 and is in no hurry to extend it, so there has to be some sporting arguments to get him to sign.”
