Barcelona linked with shock move for out-of-favour Liverpool midfielder

Liverpool’s hopes of securing a place in the top four this season were dealt yet another blow on Saturday as they were held to a goalless draw by Crystal Palace. 

The Reds have endured a difficult season so far and currently sit seventh in the Premier League table, nine points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Jurgen Klopp’s side will still be hopeful of qualifying for next season’s Champions League, but they will need to put together a good run of results if they are going to do so.

Regardless of whether or not they do qualify for Europe’s top club competition, Liverpool’s squad next season could look very different, with several players linked with departures.

A number of their current crop of players are set to be out of contract at the end of the season, including Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner.

Now, it appears that Keita could be a surprise target for Spanish giants Barcelona.

According to Fabrizio Romano in his CaughtOffside column, the La Liga leaders are being linked with a number of potential free agents this summer, including Keita.

Liverpool’s draw against Palace was just Keita’s third league start of the season

The Guinea international has fallen out of favour at Anfield of late, starting just three Premier League matches all season, although a hamstring injury did keep him out for a number of weeks at the start of the campaign.

Keita joined The Reds from RB Leipzig back in 2018 and has since made more than 120 appearances for the club.

During that time, the midfielder has lifted the Premier League and the Champions League trophies, although his time at Anfield does appear to be coming to an end.

Despite being linked with Barcelona, it is also claimed that at present nothing is advanced between Keita and any other club.

When the likes of Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain do inevitably leave Anfield, The Reds will likely be in the market for at least one new midfielder.

Loanee Arthur Melo, who joined from Juventus last summer but has only made one appearance for his new side since, is expected to return to Italy at the end of the season.