---
title: "Noel Whelan urges Liverpool to sell Naby Keita this summer"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/noel-whelan-urges-liverpool-to-sell-naby-keita-this-summer/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dan Clubbe"
section: "Liverpool News"
published: "2021-05-10T20:00:00Z"
modified: "2021-05-10T20:00:00Z"
---

# Noel Whelan urges Liverpool to sell Naby Keita this summer

Former Premier League striker Noel Whelan has urged[Liverpool](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2021/05/10/after-90-loris-karius-shows-off-physique-weeks-before-liverpool-return/) to part ways with [Naby Keita](https://readliverpoolfc.com/2021/05/06/james-pearce-naby-keita-place/) this summer.

This follows the Guinean central midfielder was absent due to injury on Saturday as this Reds beat Southampton [2-0](https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2021/may/08/liverpool-v-southampton-premier-league-live) at Anfield.

Keita’s latest absence was the 26-year-olds fourth injury setback this season alone in what has been another [heavily disrupted](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/420273-jurgen-klopp-tottenham-naby-keita) campaign.

Signed with high expectations from RB Leipzig for £48million ([BBC](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41075272)), constant [injury and fitness woes](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-naby-keita-injury-breaking-19632750) have meant the move hasn’t worked out as planned.

Now, Whelan has told [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/whelan-tells-liverpool-to-get-rid-of-keita-after-key-development/) could be the time to cash in on the [38-cap](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/naby-keita/nationalmannschaft/spieler/302215/verein_id/3856) Guinea man.

> When you’ve had a player that you’ve paid a lot of money for but not had the benefits of them through injury or whatever reason, then you’re better trying to offload the player now. He’s been a bigger player this season compared to previous years. You’ve got to take a hit, take a loss, there’s no doubt about that. He’s a good age and still has that reputation which means clubs will take a chance on him. It won’t be for what they bought him for but they will recoup some money back, that’s for sure.

The 46-year-old went on to say there was ‘no point’ retaining a player on Keita’s wages who can only play ’15 times’ a season.

This season the Guinea captain has played [16 times in all competitions](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/naby-keita/leistungsdaten/spieler/302215) and just 10 times in the Premier League.

### READ LIVERPOOL VERDICT

Unfortunately, things simply haven’t worked as planned for Keita at Anfield.

As Jurgen Klopp prepares to oversee a shake-up of his squad, the Guinean is a player who could take the fall given his high [£34.2million market value](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/naby-keita/marktwertverlauf/spieler/302215#:~:text=%22Central%20Midfield%22.-,With%20a%20market%20value%20of%20%C2%A334.20m%2C%20Naby%20Ke%C3%AFta,players%20of%20the%20Premier%20League.).

In recent seasons the mantra has been [sell to buy](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-sell-11-players-millions-20264292) in the transfer market, something that is unlikely to change in the wake of a global pandemic.

Therefore, recouping a chunk of Keita’s transfer fee would go a long way to strengthening the [squad](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/team/first-team) elsewhere.