Former Liverpool defender Phil Babb has insisted that Reds new boy Naby Keita is much more than just a defensive midfielder.
Liverpool paid a hefty sum of money to RB Leipzig to snare the midfielder away and the Guinean has been one of the standout players at the start of the season at Anfield.
Keita has slotted into Jurgen Klopp’s side seamlessly and has added a lot of energy and protection to the Liverpool midfield, but Babb stressed that there is more to his game than just being a defensive midfielder.
The former Red feels the 23-year-old is an all action midfielder, like the former Liverpool number eight Steven Gerrard, and his ability on the ball has been a key feature of his game.
He believes Keita adds a lot more to the Liverpool team than just his ability to shield the defence in the middle of the park.
The former Red said on the LFC TV Preview Show: “I saw a snippet of him saying that he classes himself as a defensive midfielder, but he’s not.
“He’s an all-rounder and you have to be when you wear the number eight shirt because that has a lot of weight to it – he’s replacing Steven Gerrard’s number for all intents and purposes.
“He has got energy, he has got bite, he has got skills and he has goals in him as well.
“For me, he’s not a defensive midfielder in any way, shape or form.”
Keita joined Liverpool this summer but the Reds reached an agreement to sign him from Leipzig last year. 3:00
