Tuesday, 4th February, 2014
Liverpool's winter transfer window went from bad to worse, it emerged today, after Valencia signing Seydou Keita revealed he rejected an Anfield move.
Valencia signed Keita on a short-term deal, with the midfielder having left Chinese outfit Dalian Aerbin in December.
mobile ad
Former Barcelona and Sevilla midfielder Keita won several trophies during his spell under Pep Guardiola, and is now understood to have been tracked by Liverpool.
The Reds missed out on signing Yevhen Konoplyanka from FC Dnipro, despite intense negotiations in the Ukraine, and Keita's story seems to have been similar.
relatedNewsStory
The 34-year-old was quoted by Valencian daily Superdeporte as saying: "The [agreement with Liverpool] was very advanced.
"When my agent told me about Valencia, I said 'we go there'. When I came to play at the Mestalla with Sevilla and Barcelona, it was always a very difficult place."
Keita has not played in Europe since the summer of 2012 when he left Barcelona – whom Valencia beat last weekend – but has no qualms about stepping back into the cauldron.
He added: "I love football and play at a high level. Having won everything with Barcelona, playing at Valencia means even more pressure on me.
"That was something I was missing in China, so I decided to come back to play under pressure.
"I have not changed. I'm a defensive midfielder and, with a bit of luck, will score some goals."
Don't bet on football until you've visited Inside Bet! Interesting markets, top tips, betting facts – get all the info before you bet.
