Curtis Jones paid tribute to Naby Keita on Saturday afternoon after the Guinean appeared at Anfield for the final time.
A divisive player during his time on Merseyside, Keita's injury record often cropped up in conversation among supporters when discussing the legacy of the former RB Leipzig midfielder. Suffering the same problems this season, the 28-year-old has missed the majority of the campaign due to various issues.
Keita will be hoping such setbacks can be a thing of the past when he finds a new club this summer, with plenty of years at the top-level still ahead of him.
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One individual set to benefit from his departure is Jones, who saw his playing time increase in recent weeks and has grasped this opportunity to impress. The Academy graduate is likely to be handed further chances to shine next term due to James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also freeing up space in the midfield department given their exits.
Full of respect for Keita's contributions during his time at the club, Jones made sure his thoughts on the outgoing midfielder were clear for all to see as the first-team squad completed their lap of appreciation following the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.
Pulling the 2019 Champions League winner over towards the camera before gesturing in his direction, he said: "Baller! What a player, trust me."
Also keen to show his respect for Keita as he prepares to depart as a free agent, Jurgen Klopp told reporters last Friday: "When people think about Naby, they probably think a few too many injuries in the time as well. But, when you look back at important games, you will realise how often he played in super important games for us and how often he performed in these games."
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