Five Liverpool alternatives to Naby Keita

Jurgen Klopp has so far endured a frustrating transfer window despite completing three transfers for Liverpool and is in hr market for a new midfielder.

The Reds’ Summer exploits has gone well in many ways and yet, in others, so terribly.

While they’ve successfully addressed the issue at left-back with the signing of Andrew Robertson on what seems to be a very cheap deal in this current market, the Reds’ boss top three targets are all still playing for other clubs.

One of those should not be regarded as an option, Kylian Mbappé as we all know was more of a pipe dream when Liverpool opportunistically felt they could offer the French teenage first-team football and better prospects than the likes of Paris Saint-Germain.

But Virgil van Djik was genuinely top of Liverpool’s list and the club blew it in fairly public and humiliating fashion – for now, at least.

Naby Keita is their dream man for midfield, with the former Bundesliga boss known to be keen over by his talent. However, RB Leipzig are not considering any sell for now.

So what do they do now? Read through the article below to see their options…….

1/5 Johannes Geis (Schalke 04)

Often an unsung hero in Schalke’s engine room, Geis would provide Jurgen Klopp’s midfield with some much-needed steel. The 23-year-old managed just a single goal throughout the whole of last season, however that statistics is not overly concerning, with his qualities lying in having the ability to break up play and redistribute the ball accordingly, as well as from dead ball situations. The German boss has evidently focus in the German market section in his bid to reinforce his midfield, and there are few better midfielders with a superior passing repertoire than the former Mainz man, who had a pass accuracy of 79 per cent last season, sometimes as a sole defensive midfielders.

2/5 Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid)

Real Madrid’s Mateo Kovacic

The Croatian man has become more than a bit-part player at Real Madrid due to the excellence of Toni Kroos and his compatrior Luka Modric. The midfielder, who started just 19 gaes last season, has been able to deliver long-range passes accurately since his Inter Milan days, and has developed his defensive game when covering for Modric in the Real Madrid lineup. Deployed in several positions in Italy, Kovacic is now attempting to establish himself as a deep-lying playmaker, which would make him a suitable option for Liverpool. The Croatian international is in desperate need of a move away, and despite interest from Tottenham, Klopp should not hesitate to get his career back on track.

3/5 Grzegorz Krychowiak (Paris Saint-Germain)

Purchased for a substantial fee last summer from Sevilla, Grzegorz Krychowiak has endured a frustrating sting in the French capital. Much like Geis but with a greater physical midfielder thrives when a positioned to challenge and recover the ball in central areas. The stature of the players in the midfield of Liverpool’s title competitors makes the Pole an increasingly attractive option, using his height to win over two aerial duels per game last season. He is equally as astute having retrieved the ball, achieving a 92 per cent pass rate last season. The 27-year-old has been left out of the Ligue 1 giants tour, and would therefore not bring about the stalemate that the Merseyside club are currently experiencing with Leipzig.

4/5 Leon Goretzka (Schalke 04)

Leon Goretzka

Goretzka has been heavily linked with Bayern Munich this summer, and his performances last season attracted the attention of suitors in England too. At 6ft 2in, the 22-year-old’s physique has seen him dominate midfield battles, with commensurate tireless work ethic to match. However, if the Confederations Cup was anything to go by, it is potentially the creative side of his game that will most appeal to Klopp. The German drives often from deep, and his five goals last season in addition to the three he bagged in the Confederations Cup demonstrates his ability to score goals from central midfield. Also able to play as an attacking midfielder, the three assists he picked up last season for his club do not reflect his true natural passing qualities. Goretzka, who undoubtedly possess the potential to become a complete midfielder, will be hot property if, as expected, he decides to leave Schalke in the near future.

5/5 Jean Michael Seri (Nice)

One of the most coveted midfielders in Europe this season, Jean Seri’s significant role in Nice’s Ligue 1 winning side has drawn interest from Roma, Barcelona, Arsenal and Tottenham. Much like Goretzka, Seri is equally as likely to control the tempo of the match with his wide passing range as he is to maraud forward and create openings with his superb dribbling. His return of ten assists and seven goals last season is superior to the 22-year-old German’s, but the transitional aspect to his play is what has made him so highly coveted, looking equally as assured in shielding the ball under pressure in his own half as he is trying to unlock the opposition’s defence. With a price tag of €40m well within Liverpool’s financial means, Seri could represent the best value for money for Klopp.