Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Werder Bremen, Naby Keita
Josh Lawless
Liverpool released a total of 11 players in the summer window as part of a major squad overhaul.
And in particular there was a big reshuffle in midfield to make way for the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Fabinho and Jordan Henderson both moved to the Saudi Pro League, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner joined Besiktas and Brighton respectively.
Naby Keita, a £52 million signing from RB Leipzig in 2018, headed back to the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen.
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The 29-year-old missed a whopping 95 games in five years at Liverpool due to injuries but has had a dismal time back in Germany.
He has continued to be played by injury problems, with Keita managing just 80 minutes in all competitions.
His debut was a one-minute cameo against Koln in September and came after he missed four league games with an abductor injury picked up prior to a pre-season friendly.
Keita would go on to play in defeats to Darmstadt and Hoffenheim but hasn't featured at all since the latter fixture due to a mixture of injuries, illness and AFCON commitments with Guinea.
And a new report from DeichStube claims that the problems run much deeper.
It's said that club chiefs are worried about his poor timekeeping and behaviour, with the former Red Bull Salzburg man believed to have been late to meeting and declining to attend sponsorship events.
He signed a three-year deal with Werder in the summer but the chances of him staying beyond this season look slim.
The player recently spoke about learning of Jurgen Klopp's departure from Liverpool and having a tearful reaction.
As per RMC Sport, he said: "I’m not on the (social media) networks but when they told me, I had tears in my eyes.
"He took me to Liverpool as his son and I consider him my dad. I wish him the best for the rest of his life.
"I'll try to write to him afterwards. Such is life, I bumped into him and I wasn't disappointed. We got trophies."