Keita could force Klopp's hand into securing new Liverpool deal amid exits

There's expected to be no more incomings this summer at Liverpool after they wrapped up their business early by completing the signings of Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsey. However, outgoings are still possible, and indeed likely.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Takumi Minamino, Joe Gomez, Nat Phillips and Neco Williams are just some of the names being tipped to depart this summer as Liverpool look to balance the books.

But beyond making decisions on potential exits, Reds officials also face a number of dilemmas in terms of contracts, with players like Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita entering the final 12 months of their deals with the club.

It's looking increasingly unlikely that Salah will sign an extension, while one hasn't yet been offered to Firmino. Nor has one been offered to Keita who has often split the Liverpool fan base during his four years on Merseyside.

Before arriving at Anfield, he was billed as an unorthodox talent who was going to be capable of doing things that other midfielders at the club simply couldn't. At the time, Jurgen Klopp described him as the best midfielder in the Bundesliga alongside Thiago Alcantara, while ex-Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge labelled his ability as "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."

Glimpses of Keita's best form came during his debut season where he amassed 25 Premier League appearances for the Reds - his most across his four years at the club so far. A series of injury issues have hampered his progression in the years that followed, meaning playing time was at a premium. He failed to reach 20 Premier League appearances in the two campaigns that followed.

Even when he could get fit, evolution within Klopp's midfield meant there wasn't always a space for the complex midfielder.

Keita's at his best when dribbling through the lines, disrupting defences and attempting high-risk-high-reward passes. Liverpool's midfield though during that period became very conservative through players like Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson who were tasked with often playing selfless roles and covering for the club's extremely offensive and creative wing-backs.

As a consequence of his style, Keita could at times be considered too risky compared to his peers, making him an easy target to be left out of the side by Klopp.

Over time though, Liverpool have had to evolve further as opponents have started to deploy deep defensive blocks in an effort to limit space in which Liverpool's wing-backs can create chances. To combat this, Klopp has looked for more penetration through the middle, and that's a big reason why the Reds made a move for Thiago.

While he's a different player in terms of style to Thaigo, Keita does have a similar impact in terms of bringing a greater attacking threat through the middle of the pitch. It's therefore no surprise that he's looked much closer to his best for large periods of the last campaign.

He's managed to keep his injury issues at bay and played more games in a single season than he had in each of the two campaigns prior. The Guinean international has also played a starring role across those appearances, as highlighted by his underlying numbers. Beyond his four goals and two assists, he also averaged more defensive pressures and successful tackles than any other Liverpool player who played over 1000 Premier League minutes.

In isolation, the above information would build a compelling case for Keita being offered a new deal. However it's also worth noting his age too, still just 27. It feels as though the midfielder has been around for a long time, yet the reality is he's only now in his prime years.

It seems ludicrous that Liverpool would let a player of his quality leave for nothing during his peak, therefore don't be shocked to see a new deal come to the table in the not-so-distant future.