Arsenal and Tottenham eye move for Naby Keita

Arsenal and Tottenham could be about to lock horns over a free transfer swoop to sign Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita at the end of the season, according to 90min.

Keita has failed to live up to his potential since joining Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2018 and he’s struggled to hold down a regular first team spot in Jurgen Klopp’s starting eleven.

The 27-year-old’s time at Anfield has been hampered by a number of injury issues. Keita showed signs of promise during the latter stages of last season and it looked like he was getting back to his best form.

However, he’s yet to make an appearance this season due to a niggling hamstring problem that he aggravated just before the campaign started having played just 5 minutes in the Community Shield win over Man City.

The Guinea international’s future at Liverpool is in serious doubt as he’s in the final year of his contract and talks over an extension have hit deadlock. The midfielders agent tried to get a new deal agreed in the summer but Liverpool were in no rush to discuss fresh terms – a situation that has left Keita unhappy.

It looks increasingly likely that he’ll leave on a free transfer at the end of the season and 90min claims that Arsenal and Tottenham are among the clubs showing a keen interest in snapping him up.

Battle

The report says the North London giants are contemplating making Keita an offer to sign him for free when his contract at Liverpool expires next summer, but there is competition from here and abroad.

Keita is currently valued at around £22m by Transfermarkt and the chance to sign him for nothing is hugely appealing to the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham, despite his poor injury record.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta tried to strengthen his midfield options in the summer but failed to get a deal done before the window closed. Arsenal are still in the market for a central midfielder to compete with Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka, and it appears Keita is on their radar.

Tottenham are also looking to strengthen in the middle of the park as Antonio Conte tries to build a squad capable of competing for trophies, and it looks as though Spurs are also eyeing a bargain move for Keita.

We’ll have to wait and see how things develop over the coming months but it appears Keita should have options to stay in the Premier League if he leaves Liverpool next summer, with Arsenal and Tottenham ready to do-battle over his signature.