Dean Saunders has highlighted central midfielder Naby Keita as one Liverpool player who could make a massive impact next season in the Premier League.
When debating Liverpool’s midfield and how they needed a creative spark, the former Reds’ striker picked out the Guinean international as a player who could make a difference when going forward.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Saunders said: “Keita, who looked to me as if he could be one of the best players in the league at some point in the future.”
“He’s had a few injuries, showed flashes of brilliance, but, I’m hoping this season that he can kick on now.”
The 24-year-old featured 25 times in the Premier League last season under Jurgen Klopp, but also suffered three injuries in which he missed 11 games and 89 days of action [Transfermarkt].
OPINION
This is a big claim to make from Saunders, with Keita surely having a lot more to prove until he can be even considered as one of the best players in the Premier League. The Guinean has highlighted glimpses of promise during his first full season at Anfield – but only managed to add a couple of goals to his forward-thinking role in the heart of midfield. There is no doubting his talent, and after a full season in England, Keita will surely be more ready to take it by the scruff of the neck and add more goal involvements to his game. In his final season with Red Bull Leipzig before making the move to Liverpool, Keita was in unstoppable form – scoring nine goals and adding seven assists in all competitions in Germany. That is the sort of form Klopp will be hoping he rediscovers in his midfield man next season, with the Reds somewhat reliant for goals on their front-three. Should Keita add consistent goals to his game, he will become one of Liverpool’s most important, and that is much more important than becoming the best in the league right now.
