Borussia Dortmund eye Naby Keita amid Liverpool FC’s Jude Bellingham links

As news spreads that Borussia Dortmund have set their sights on Liverpool’s Naby Keita, the Reds are left contemplating the future of their midfield. With Keita’s contract set to expire this summer (Transfermarkt), it appears that he will soon be leaving Anfield on a free transfer.

This news is not only concerning for Liverpool, but it also presents a potential opportunity for Dortmund, who is looking for a replacement for their prized asset, Jude Bellingham. According to SportBILD (h/t Liverpool Echo), Dortmund eye Keita as a Bellingham replacement.

The Guinean midfielder joined Liverpool in 2018 from RB Leipzig, but his time at Anfield has stood plagued with injuries and inconsistent performances. Despite flashes of brilliance, he has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter in Jurgen Klopp’s midfield, and it appears that the club is willing to let him go on a free transfer.

Meanwhile, Dortmund is facing their own battle to keep Bellingham at Signal Iduna Park. The 19-year-old has been a revelation since joining the German club from Birmingham City in 2020, and he has stood linked with a move to several top European clubs, including Liverpool.

Keita to Dortmund and Bellingham the other way?

For Liverpool, losing Keita on a free transfer would be a blow, but it would not be catastrophic. The club has already shown their ability to replace key players, most notably when they sold Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in 2018 and used the proceeds to fund the signing of Virgil van Dijk.

If Keita were to leave, Liverpool would likely look to bring in a replacement, with Bellingham being a potential option. Jude has stood linked with the Reds ever since his move to the Bundesliga back in 2020 and it seems only right if he wears the Red of Liverpool next season onwards.

Even though the Reds cannot possibly do a swap deal due to the fact that Keita’s contract ends in the summer later this year, it would technically still be a swap but not by the books in case Jude joins the Reds and Keita goes on to replace Bellingham at Die Schwarzbelgen.

For Liverpool, the prospect of losing Keita is a reminder of the need to constantly refresh and strengthen the squad. While losing a player of his ability would be a blow, the club has shown that they have the ability to bounce back and find new stars to take their place.

More Liverpool News:

• Ramy Abbas Issa downplays Mohamed Salah Liverpool exit fears
• Virgil van Dijk responds to Ruud Gullit’s comments after Liverpool slump
• Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson backs the squad to make a push for a top-four finish

Hopefully, the Reds reshuffle their midfield with Bellingham at the core of the rebuild plan at the Liverpool and we can challenge for more silverware in the future.