Liverpool news: Naby Keita reveals why he turned down new deal as Reds get Mo Salah boost

Liverpool cognize they look a immense crippled against Chelsea astatine Anfield arsenic they bid to support their presumption astatine the apical of the Premier League against Enzo Maresca's unsafe side

Liverpool brag Arne Slot lone has 2 days to hole his broadside for 1 of the toughest games since helium took complaint this summertime arsenic they invited Chelsea this Sunday.

The Reds person returned to grooming pursuing the 2nd planetary interruption of the season, with Slot fortunate to person the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones released aboriginal from their countries.

The players cognize they look a immense crippled against the Blues astatine Anfield arsenic they bid to support their presumption astatine the apical of the Premier League against Enzo Maresca's unsafe side.

Ahead of the large showdown, Mirror Football has taken a look astatine the biggest quality coming retired of Liverpool.

Keita turned down caller deal

Former midfielder Naby Keita near the nine astatine the opening of past season, joining Bundesliga broadside Werder Bremen, and present the Guinea planetary has reflected connected his reasons for departing.

Keita is not enjoying the champion of times successful the Bundesliga aft being banished to the Under-23 broadside pursuing a fallout with brag Ole Warner - and during his clip connected the sidelines helium has focused connected fond memories of his clip astatine Anfield and said helium turned down a caller declaration due to the fact that helium wanted a caller section elsewhere.

"I had the enactment of extending my enactment astatine Liverpool but, aft 5 years, I wanted to get much playing clip elsewhere," helium told the Guardian.

"The Liverpool fans person fixed maine a batch of love," helium added. "Even today, wherever I conscionable them, they amusement maine the aforesaid love. They’re the champion fans successful the world. Liverpool is simply a household and you ne'er locomotion alone."

Liverpool get Salah boost

Tying down Mohamed Salah to a caller declaration is thing everyone connected with the nine is hoping for - and the Reds whitethorn person received a boost towards that goal.

Salah was spared from playing successful Egypt's latest crippled against Mauritania this week amid fears of picking up an wounded connected their artificial transportation and present that his federation person qualified for the African Cup of Nations, helium may not beryllium required to play successful the adjacent planetary break.

The Athletic's study says helium whitethorn beryllium fixed a remainder from playing for his state until their adjacent batch of fixtures successful March 2025, allowing him important betterment that could beryllium cardinal successful helping him amusement Liverpool helium has the longevity to unafraid a caller deal.

His existent declaration expires adjacent summertime and Salah revealed past period it could beryllium his last season, with nary quality yet connected immoderate discussions.

Balotelli speaks astir Anfield exit

Why ever him? The iconic troublemaker Mario Balotelli secured a daze £16million determination from AC Milan to Liverpool successful 2014 - seen arsenic a imaginable replacement for Luis Suarez - but the determination didn't spell to plan.

He scored conscionable 4 goals successful 28 appearances nether Brendan Rodgers successful the 2014-15 play earlier Jurgen Klopp took implicit and told him helium was surplus to requirements - and Balotelli has present blamed Rodgers for failing to get the champion retired of him.

Nearly a twelvemonth aft helium called Rodgers "a disaster", the 34-year-old - who is simply a escaped cause aft leaving Turkish outfit Adana Demirspor - has present claimed the Northern Irishman didn't play the close enactment to play to his strengths.

"I indispensable judge my faults, but the enactment chosen by [manager Brendan] Rodgers was not suited to my characteristics. At the opening I missed respective casual chances, past I had less chances to score, a spot of atrocious luck, injuries."

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