Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering an offer to sign out of favour Liverpool midfielder on a free transfer next summer, according to Depredict.
The 27-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and it seems very unlikely that he will be penning a new deal, after being used sporadically by Jurgen Klopp.
Talks are said to be ongoing for an extension, but they are not believed to be at an advanced stage, so Keita is able to talk to clubs regarding a pre-contract agreement, with interest from around Europe.
Tottenham have registered an interest in the midfielder, as Antonio Conte looks to bolster his midfield options.
The report also states that several other Premier League clubs are considering offers, along with Inter, AC Milan, Lyon, Monaco and former club RB Leipzig.
Since joining Liverpool from Leipzig in 2018, Keita has featured 127 times for the Reds overall, scoring 11 goals and making seven assists.
He was key to their Champions League victory in 2019, their title-winning campaign in 2019/20, as well as playing his part in helping to lift an FA Cup and a League Cup last year.
However, this season he has fallen down Klopp’s pecking order, playing just six times in the Premier League so far. He did miss several games due to a hamstring injury, though.
As a result, Keita’s future at Anfield is now in doubt, so a move to Tottenham has a genuine chance of happening.
Spurs certainly need a midfielder who can contribute more in attack. , but he generally plays a defensive role.
In fact, Hojbjerg, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma and Oliver Skipp are all defensive midfielders, with Tottenham failing to replace creative players such as Giovanni Lo Celso and Tanguy Dembele, as yet.
Keita has the energy and ability to play as an effective box-to-box man, contributing in both attack and defence. If the Guinea international can stay fit, he could be an ideal fit for Conte’s system.
Also, the fact that the midfielder could be available on a free transfer would make signing him a massive bargain, as he cost Liverpool £52.75m back in 2018.
Keita could also fall further down the pecking order next season if the Reds are successful in their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Jude Bellingham, who would go straight into Klopp’s starting XI.
The move could also be positive for Keita for other reasons too, as with Liverpool currently sitting in a disappointing tenth place in the Premier League table, it looks unlikely that they’ll be competing in Europe anytime soon.
Tottenham, on the other hand, are still in the race for the top four, so they have an excellent chance of playing in the Champions League next season.
If that is something Keita wants, a switch to North London could be very much on the cards. That is, if Liverpool don’t tie him down to a new deal in the coming months.
