Former Red Believes Keita and van Dijk Would Make Liverpool Unstoppable

Sports commentators: they’re just like us. Now that the euphoria of landing Salah is dying down, they too are wistfully picturing a future where the Reds sign Naby Keïta and Virgil van Dijk and then sail happily into a silverware-speckled sunset.

Former Liverpool midfielder and current pundit, Jason McAteer, believes that a Liverpool side that includes a player Leipzig seem reluctant to sell (to say the least), and a player that Liverpool messed up a seemingly guaranteed deal with, would be poised to win the Premier League.

“Initially, I was thinking Liverpool should be targeting a cup, a decent run in the Champions League and a top-three finish next season,” McAteer told the Mirror on Sunday. “But if Jurgen Klopp can nail down his three major transfer targets then, with the attacking options he’s got in the squad, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be pushing to win the title.

“He would have unbelievable strength if he gets his three targets because that trio would all start and then you have guys like Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Adam Lallana, Sadio Mané, Jordan Henderson and Emre Can to fit round them.”

That’s definitely a pretty picture. There is no doubt that signing key talent to bolster the areas where Liverpool exhibited weaknesses is the main priority this summer. McAteer believes that Keïta especially warrants Klopp’s focus.

“I watch a lot of the Bundesliga and Keïta is a terrific player. He’s in the mould of N’Golo Kante and Claude Makelele – he’s full of energy, always breaking play up and getting his team on the front foot,” he said.“If Klopp manages to get him out of Leipzig it would be fantastic and allow Can to play a more forward role which would suit him better.”

Neither van Dijk nor Keïta seem like certain signings right now, and it’s not like McAteer voicing all our fantasies is going to sway anything. And while it would be great if those fantasies came true, let’s hope Klopp has at least a few back-up plans up his sleeve.