Former Liverpool ace has played only three games since Anfield exit last summer

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Naby Keita has played only three games since leaving Premier league giants Liverpool for Werder Bremen with his ongoing unavailability a disappointment for Werder Bremen boss Ole Werner. 

After missing most of the first few months with injury, and then the start of 2024 due to African Cup of Nations duty, illness is set to keep Werder Bremen’s marquee summer signing out Friday night’s trip to relegation-threatened Koln. 

Naby Keita, who’s arrival from Liverpool on a free transfer last June sparked much excitement at the Weser Stadion, is rapidly going from a statement signing to high-profile disappointment. A situation which may feel haunting familiar to a Liverpool outfit who paid a club record £52 million to sign the midfielder from RB Leipzig and released him five years later, a never-ending spate of fitness problems littering his highly-underwhelming Anfield career. 

Naby Keita struggling after Liverpool exit

“That’s a shame,” sighed Ole Werner, ruling Keita out of Werder’s latest Bundesliga fixture (BILD). 

The 29-year-old Guinea international has featured in just three of the club’s 21 league games so far in 2023/24. He’s started only once too, with the most recent of his 81 minutes on the pitch coming all the way back in October. 

Werner, meanwhile, insists the 2020 Premier League champion will not simply stroll back into the first XI when he is fit again, Werder Bremen unbeaten in seven of their last eight Bundesliga matches without Keita. 

Only three Bundesliga appearances

“Every footballer knows that and knows how things like that work. Naby also saw how we played in the last few weeks, and knows that the boys who were on the pitch did their job well,” Werner explains, via Deich Stube. 

“In the end, it’s the same as always. You have to get past the guys who are doing well. (But Keita) basically makes a positive impression.”

Liverpool moved on not only Keita but fellow midfielders Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain last year, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo arriving to completely overhaul Jurgen Klopp’s engine room.