'Good business': Liverpool urged to sign £40m ace they made an ‘official’ move to sign before deadline in the summer

Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has urged the Reds to sell Naby Keita and replace him with Yves Bissouma.

“He arrived at Liverpool with a massive reputation but sadly he hasn’t really lived up to it currently,” Johnson told Betting Odds.

“I still think he’s a good player and he’s certainly a good squad player but he’s never been a player consistently in their starting XI.

“If they could agree a deal to sell Keita and then get someone like Yves Bissouma in as a replacement, then that would probably be good business.

“With big signings like Keita you want them to be banging the door down rather than accepting a role as a squad player.”

When Georginio Wijnaldum's contract expired in the summer and he left to join PSG as a free agent, it genuinely felt as though Liverpool might sign Bissouma to replace him and what a replacement he would have been.

The Mali international is a splendid player and while I genuinely believe Naby Keita can do everything he can, the Seagulls midfielder offers guarantees over his fitness that the no.8 cannot match.

His fitness is the main criticism that has been levelled at him during his Liverpool career as he seems to perform every time he gets the chance to play as we saw in the EFL Cup last eight against Leicester City as he practically dragged the Reds forward as they beat the Foxes on penalties after Takumi Minamino scored a 95th-minute winner.

He's got 17 and a half months remaining on his Liverpool contract and so the clock is well and truly ticking on his career at Anfield so the remainder of this season will be crucial in deciding whether or not he is offered a lifeline in the form of an extension.

If he can remain fit, help the Reds win the Premier League or the Champions League and one of the cups, he may well be offered a short extension to his Liverpool contract to give the club the chance to get more value out of the player and for the midfielder to make the most of his career on Merseyside.

Liverpool made Bissouma move before the summer deadline in August

According to the Daily Express’ Tony Banks, Liverpool made “an official enquiry” over signing Yves Bissouma before Deadline Day and were told to pay £40million to sign him.

Nothing materialised as the club refused to meet the asking price as was their stance all summer but perhaps they could move for him next summer as he's out of contract in less than 18 months' time.