Daniel Sturridge raves about Liverpool’s Naby Keita

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Naby Keita is already making a big impression among Liverpool players.

Daniel Sturridge has told Liverpool’s official website that new team-mate Naby Keita is “something different”.

The Guinea midfielder joined up with Liverpool this summer after officially joining the Reds a year ago for £52.7 million [The Liverpool Echo].

The 23-year-old has shown flashes of his brilliance during a number of pre-season friendlies thus far.

And Sturridge says that the former RB Leipzig man has already blown him away, admitting he did not know that he was quite this talented.

“I love that guy. I’m surprised how good he is actually, if I’m honest. I knew he was good but I don’t watch German football too often,” he told Liverpool’s official website.

“I haven’t seen a midfielder like him for a while, he is something different. It’s crazy. The things he can do with the ball – he can defend, he can pass, he can dribble, he is fast, he is strong. He has got everything.

“I’m excited to see what he does in the Premier League and the Champions League. I sit next to him in the changing room and we have a lot of banter; my French is terrible but I try my best. His English is OK. We share some good times and have a lot of laughs together. I like him a lot, he’s a good guy.”

Manager Jurgen Klopp spent a hell of a lot of money on taking Keita to Anfield, and fans of the Merseyside club will be desperate to see what he brings to the table next season.

Alongside Fabinho and a fit-again Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Klopp might boast the best midfield in the Premier League next season and that would go a long way toward seeing them challenge Manchester City for their title.

It has been close to three decades since Liverpool won a top-flight English crown, but there is a feeling that Klopp – whose side reached the Champions League final last season – has assembled a very special squad of players and the German will be desperate to mount a serious challenge – he has to.

Following the arrival of goalkeeper Alisson, the Reds’ spending is around £165 million this summer – including Keita – and considering Klopp is yet to win a trophy at Anfield, there will be nowhere hide come May if he hasn’t changed that.