Naby Keita unveiled as a Liverpool player

Naby Keita has been unveiled as a Liverpool player and will officially join the club from July 1.

The midfielder will begin pre-season training on Monday at Melwood to begin preparations for the 2018-19 season.

Keita, who’s signed for a fee of £52.75million from RB Leipzig, explained why he wants to be apart of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

“When you see how they performed last season it makes me want to do the same and to be a part of this team. I would like to be able to achieve a similar kind of season with them next season – but even better,” Keita told  Liverpoolfc.com.

“I chose Liverpool because it is a team I watched often – and I also spoke a lot about it with Sadio [Mane]. He told me a lot about the team and the club.

“I also spoke with the coach, who told me about the project for the team and that motivated me to be here.”

As reported earlier in the week, Keita will be the first player to wear the iconic No 8 since the departure of Steven Gerrard at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season.

Gerrard presented Keita with his Liverpool shirt with the No 8 on it.

“It was an incredible day for me. He gave me the No.8 jersey. When it happened, it was a surprise and I didn’t expect it,” Keita told Liverpoolfc.com.

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Credit: Liverpool Football Club

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“When he came in, I looked at him and said, ‘wow’ because he is a legend. He is somebody who always showed respect, who gave his all on the pitch, somebody who is loved here.

“If somebody like that gives you his shirt number, it’s not to play around with, it is to try and do as much as he did – that’s my motivation.”

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Source: anfieldhq.com