{"id":261606,"date":"2026-09-08T19:45:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T19:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/08\/why-30m-liverpool-signing-looks-like-a-naby-keita-repeat\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T19:45:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T19:45:11","slug":"why-30m-liverpool-signing-looks-like-a-naby-keita-repeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/08\/why-30m-liverpool-signing-looks-like-a-naby-keita-repeat\/","title":{"rendered":"Why \u00a330m Liverpool signing looks like a Naby Keita repeat"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

Liverpool<\/a> are fighting back under Andoni Iraola<\/a>, who is fronting the resurgence at Anfield after the Reds fell by the wayside under Arne Slot last season.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It’s early in the day, but Liverpool do look sharper and more direct – largely thanks to Alexander Isak<\/a> and Cody Gakpo<\/a>‘s return to form in attack. Gakpo has supplied all three of the \u00a3125m striker’s goals, with both looking like they are emerging as focal points after flattering to deceive last year.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n <\/picture>Reuters\/Paul Childs<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

For so long, FSG had basked in their glowing reputation as peerless operators in the transfer market. That has shifted in recent times – not-so-coincidentally aligning with the end of Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.<\/p>\n

But that’s not to say that the Reds didn’t make blunders during the halycon days, with Naby Keita<\/a> standing out as the biggest blunder of the FSG era.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n Where Keita ranks among FSG’s worst transfer mistakes<\/strong>
\n <\/h2>\n

Liverpool have won the lot over the past decade, and their unerring spending habits during those earlier days created a team which ranks as one of the finest in the Premier League<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On his day, Keita was an excellent midfielder. He could have been one of the best, but for the incessent injury issues which plagued him from the get-go.<\/p>\n

When Liverpool paid \u00a352m to sign Keita from RB Leipzig in 2018, they believed they were signing a midfielder with world-class potential, but he never managed to hit 1,400 minutes in a single Premier League campaign, an illustration of exactly how damaging his fitness woes were in red.<\/p>\n

For reference, Curtis Jones played 1,930 minutes of Premier League football last season, the boyhood Liverpool fan leaving and signing for Inter Milan due to frustration over his playing time.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Naby Keita’s Premier League Career By Season<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

\n

Season<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Apps<\/p>\n<\/th>\n

\n

Minutes<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

22\/23<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

8<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

292′<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

21\/22<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

23<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,175′<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

20\/21<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

521′<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

19\/20<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

18<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

813′<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

18\/19<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

25<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,395′<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n

Gambian Keita struggled to withstand the intensity and physiclity of the Premier League. He proved brittle and unsteady in Slot’s high-octane system.<\/p>\n

Now, with Iraola bringing back the ‘rock and roll’ beat at Anfield, it looks like another Bundesliga arrival is emerging as the next Keita.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n Hughes messed up signing Liverpool’s new Naby Keita<\/strong>
\n <\/h2>\n

Richard Hughes is no longer Liverpool’s sporting director. He’s certainly not the flavour of the month for the Liverpool persuasion, who view his time in office as a contributing factor toward the dismantling of a title-winning team.<\/p>\n

The reality is more nuanced, but there’s no question that the Reds have left a lot to be desired in regard to their spending of late, with Jeremie Frimpong<\/a> failing abjectly to cover the ground once held by Trent Alexander-Arnold.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Jeremie\n <\/picture>REUTERS\/Scott Heppell<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Slot and Hughes worked in concert to sign Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen in May 2025. It was a sharp move, securing the jet-heeled right sider from Bayer Leverkusen for \u00a329.5m. His defensive ability raised questions, but such speed and potency in attack outlined the gains that could be secured with him as Conor Bradley’s rival.<\/p>\n

But Bradley has been out since January with a knee injury, and Frimpong has flattered to deceive in his absense. The Dutchman spent several long stretches in the infirmary himself last season, echoing Keita in struggling to adapt to the harsh conditions of English football.<\/p>\n

Of course, it’s not only fitness levels that are against him. Frimpong has been terrible under Iraola’s management so far. He was targeted and bested during successive 2-2 draws against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, dropped for Ronald Araujo as the visitors defeated Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Friday night.<\/p>\n

Frimpong needs a run of games to establish himself as a mainstay at Liverpool. But either through fitness-related issues or struggles to find form, it simply isn’t happening for him right now. He might have pace and a shrewd eye for goal, but he is not getting the basics right, and that could prove his undoing as a valued part of Iraola’s Liverpool persuasion.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"frimpong-liverpool\n <\/picture>REUTERS\/Scott Heppell<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

This isn’t to say that signings from the Bundesliga don’t have what it takes to succeed at Liverpool. Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Bobby Firmino would argue against that, and Hugo Ekitike looked a demon in the final third before an Achilles injury cruelly curtailed his debut term on Merseyside.<\/p>\n

But Frimpong has his work cut out if he is to shift his reputation toward one of those former superstars, and not end up being remembered in the same vein as Keita.<\/p>\n