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Jamie Carragher explains why new Liverpool signing depends on Naby Keita
Naby Keita has struggled to nail down a starting spot at Liverpool since joining last year.
Liverpool must give Naby Keita time to prove he can live up to his billing before signing a new midfielder, says Jamie Carragher.
Keita arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2018 for a fee of £52.75million.
However, he started just 16 Premier League games in his first campaign at the club.
A hip injury has restricted him to just one start this season - the 1-0 Carabao Cup win over MK Dons in September.
I think the one, before Liverpool look into the transfer market, is Naby Keita. Liverpool are still waiting for him to take off
But Carragher says Keita must be given a chance to show he can be the “world class” element Liverpool need in midfield, before they look elsewhere in the transfer market.
“What I would say is Liverpool have a world class goalkeeper and back four, a world class front three, but I just think they have a top class midfield, without it being world class,” Carragher told talkSPORT earlier this week.
“I actually think Fabinho in that holding position is as good as anyone in that position.
“But what Liverpool have in that position is a lot of numbers, in terms of players.
“What I think the manager will do is use them all sparingly really, he’s trying to get them all at 100 per cent rather than playing the same two every week.
“I think the one, before Liverpool look into the transfer market, is Naby Keita. Liverpool are still waiting for him to take off, really.
“It was a big transfer fee when he come in, didn’t quite hit the ground running, had some good games, some injuries.
“I think the feeling around the club is they’ve got to give it a good 12 months to really see what Keita can bring to the midfield.
“If he brings what he was supposed to bring or how he was talked up in Germany before he come, that would add something that is maybe lacking slightly in the midfield.
“But it’s very difficult to talk about anything lacking at the moment with Liverpool when they’ve won 17 games on the bounce.”