- Championship club Sunderland are keen to sign a former Liverpool star
- The player won the Premier League and the Champions League while with the Reds
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Sunderland are reported to have made a bid for former Liverpool star Naby Keita during the summer transfer window.
The Black Cats were reportedly interested in the midfielder, who left Anfield to join German side Werder Bremen in the summer of 2023.
Keita had a difficult year at the Bundesliga club. The injuries he suffered at Liverpool also affected him last season. He only made five appearances in all competitions.
The guard have reported that Sunderland, currently top of the Championship, have made a bid for the 29-year-old Guinea international.
However, they were unable to agree a deal for the midfielder, who looks set to move to Turkey instead.
Former Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita is reportedly in talks over a move to Sunderland
Keita was part of Liverpool’s championship team and left the club in the summer of 2023
However, Keita has struggled at Werder Bremen and could be on his way to Istanbul Basaksehir
Sunderland have started the season strongly and are currently top of the Champions League.
Keita is in talks with Istanbul Basaksehir and still has plenty of time to close a deal. The Turkish transfer deadline is not until September 13.
Sunderland strengthened their midfield in the summer with the arrivals of Salis Abdul Samed from Lens on the final day and Alan Browne on a free transfer.
There were high expectations for Keita after he arrived at Anfield from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2018 for £48million.
However, persistent injuries and fitness problems meant he made just 84 Premier League appearances during his five years at the club.
However, he did win six trophies during his time at Anfield, including the Premier League and the Champions League.
Current club Werder Bremen made the decision to suspend Keita in the closing stages of last season after the player refused to travel to a match with his team-mates after being told he would not be in the starting line-up.
Bremen’s head of professional football, Clemens Fritz, said at the time: ‘As a club, we do not tolerate Naby’s behaviour.
‘He let his team down at a difficult time around our recent run of form and squad availability and put his own interests above those of the team. We cannot allow that.
‘At this stage of the season we have to focus completely on the remaining games and a team that stays together. That’s why we have no alternative.’