Liverpool’s Naby Keita was originally expected to miss the Champions League final.
Guinea national team coach Paul Put has sensationally revealed that Naby Keita could be available for Liverpool’s Champions League final with Tottenham Hotspur on June 1.
Keita was ruled out for eight weeks earlier this month after suffering an adductor injury in the semi-final defeat by Barcelona at Camp Nou.
The prognosis ruled him out of Liverpool’s date with Spurs in Madrid, and plunged his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations into serious doubt.
But the Guinea manager says that he expects the former Leipzig midfielder back much earlier than expected, revealing he’s been told that Keita will be available for the showpiece in Spain.
Put told Foot 224: “He consulted his doctor in Switzerland, as I said at the beginning. He is in treatment with his doctor.
“He has started on the bike there [in Liverpool] and it is said that he will maybe in two weeks resume with the squad.
“It is even possible that he is in the squad for the Champions League final, if what I have been told is true. We will see.”
This is the latest twist in what’s becoming a bizarre saga between the Premier League side and Guinea, whose Football Federation president Antonio Souare labelled Jurgen Klopp’s initial diagnosis as ‘hasty and pretentious’.
Nevertheless, the 24-year-old has been outstanding for Klopp’s side in recent months.
He has really overseen a stunning turnaround in fortunes during his first season at Anfield, after struggling in a major way until March or so.
That being said, it isn’t a huge loss to Liverpool if he isn’t around, such is the strength of Klopp’s squad.
An inspired midfield combination of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho helped the Reds overturn their 3-0 deficit and beat Barcelona 4-0 a week later to progress into the final.
Even if Keita was available, would he play ahead of either of those two?
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