Fabrizio Romano says LFC are in "preliminary negotiations" to agree deal worth over £33.8M for "outstanding player"

Fabrizio Romano says Liverpool are in "preliminary negotiations" to agree a contract extension that could worth over £33.8M fto Naby Keita.

The Guinean is a gifted player and he has shone for Liverpool but his injury record has often been in doubt.

Last season he managed to prove that his injury problems are behind him with vastly improved availability.

He's now in his prime as a midfielder at 27 and with Liverpool looking to time him down, he could stay at the club until 2027 when he will be 32.

According to Fabrizio Romano, “One of the next players to sign a new contract at Liverpool may be Naby Keita.

“There have been preliminary negotiations with his representatives, but they are not yet at the final stage.

“Jota was a priority, after bringing in Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez. Liverpool wanted to ensure him he was still a valued member of the squad.”

While injuries have robbed him of some of the speed he showcased in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, he is still a wonderfully technically gifted footballer.

In the advanced no.8 role in Jurgen Klopp's 4-2-4, there is no reason why he cannot continue to be a valuable member of the German's squad.

With Liverpool at the height of their powers again, challenging for a quadruple last season, it's encouraging to see the Reds continue to tie down key players to cement their chance of challenging for many more years to come.

Diogo Jota is the latest to sign a new contract after Mohamed Salah ended over a year of speculation by putting pen to paper on a new five-three deal.

With his wages reported to be in the region of £350,000 per week, he stands to earn over £54M. That's the price of reported Liverpool target Benjamin Sesko.

With Keita potentially set to sign a new five-year contract, he stands to earn a lot more than £33.8M. That's just based on his current £130,000 a week wage as he's sure to receive a raise to stay at Anfield.

Klopp is a huge fan of the midfielder and has been way more patient with his injuries than fans have. That patience is Klopp's faith in his abilities and the German said that he has proved his place at the club.

Speaking in October last year, the manager said, after Keita starred in the astonishing 5-0 win over Manchester United - a game in which he scored and assisted - that he was flying.

Klopp said via Liverpoolfc.com: “Naby is in a great moment.

"Naby is an outstanding player and we spoke about it, about the game at Atletico.

"He played outstandingly well until he made the mistake around the goal of Atletico after the set-piece and that obviously shattered him a little bit, and that should not happen obviously, that is clear.

“But in such an atmosphere, against such an opponent, all of a sudden when you’re thinking about different things then it can happen.

"But it was clear we would start him again because he is in really good shape and yeah, he proved us right.”