Liverpool star Naby Keita is in the final year of his contract at Anfield, with Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea all said to be interested in signing the midfielder next summer.
The Gunners were keen on adding a new central midfielder to their squad in the summer transfer window after Thomas Partey, and Mohamed Elneny picked up muscle injuries. A deadline day move for Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz failed to materialise after the Midlands club rebuffed three bids from Arsenal, with the Brazilian now having signed a new long-term deal at Villa Park.
Mikel Arteta is thought to remain interested in adding a new midfielder to his squad in the upcoming transfer windows as he looks to reinforce his squad and continue the Gunners' impressive development. Keita has struggled with injuries throughout his Liverpool career after completing a £53million move from RB Leipzig back in 2018, but Arsenal have been warned against making a move for the Guinea international next summer.
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A number of Liverpool's Premier League rivals are keeping close tabs on Keita's contract talks with the Reds as they entertain the idea of taking him on a free transfer at the end of the season, according to 90min. Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has been less than impressed by what he's seen from Keita during his time at Anfield, labelling him as 'not good enough' when ranking the Gunners' Premier League rivals' best players.
Merson wrote in his SportsKeeda column earlier this year: "Naby Keita's signing didn't really do much for me. I was a bit shocked when they brought him on in the Champions League final. Liverpool needed a goal, and he's scored one goal in about a million games."
The 27-year-old has made a total of 117 appearances for Liverpool since arriving four years ago, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists in all competitions. Keita is yet to feature for Jurgen Klopp's side this season as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained in August, but the Reds boss is excited by the return of the Guinean midfielder to his squad.
Speaking last week, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitted he 'can't wait' to have Keita back from injury regardless of speculation surrounding the midfielder's future at Anfield. Klopp said: "The situation with Naby is clear.
"Whatever happens in the summer, nobody knows in this moment, but it's now about making him as fit as possible so he can sustain an awful lot of games coming up. There are a lot of football games to play, and I can't wait to have him back properly."
Granit Xhaka's form has seen the Swiss midfielder become a key player under Arteta, whilst club captain Martin Odegaard has adjusted to a deeper role in the team very well this season. Injuries could look to hamper the Gunners' progression this season and success in the future, but Keita's arrival may not be the solution considering his torrid injury record at Anfield.
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