Klopp Talk: The Meaning of Naby Keita

Regardless of any further summer signings for Liverpool, it’s an exciting time to be a Red. Since taking over in the fall of 2015, Jurgen Klopp has consistently produced some of the most exciting football in Europe. And with the addition of one of the most exciting midfielders in the world, Klopp’s men are likely to produce more great memories in the seasons to come.

It was a long wait, but after a frustrating summer transfer window, Naby Keita is finally donning Liverpool Red (or purple, as the case may be).

“Naby was two years ago, together with maybe Thiago Alcantara of Bayern, for sure the best player in the Bundesliga by far,” Klopp said in an interview with The Echo.

”It was unbelievable how he played and then we wanted to get him in, but Leipzig didn’t think that was the best idea in the world so they kept him.

“And then last season he was still good. Not as good as the year before but still good. He is young, he is full of football skills, very stable, very good in small spaces, endurance-wise fantastic, quick, good finishes, good runs in the box.

“So that’s a package that’s really interesting and that’s why we thought we should take him.”

We agree, Herr Klopp!

One of the most impressive things about Klopp’s management style is his patience to make the move for the right player, not the player who is available right now. Like a great deal of other areas of life, the media is far too often caught up with the immediacy of the moment, and always looking to scapegoat players, drive transfers, and gleefully look for the next “crisis club.”

But that’s not Klopp’s game. Kloppo has his projects, and he is willing to wait to find the right pieces to build his perfect gegenpressing machine. In that regard, Keita is probably worth the wait.