"A surprising twist" - Sunderland AFC backed after swerving surprise deal for ex-Liverpool player | OneFootball

Sunderland were reportedly in talks regarding a shock deal for ex-Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita before the deal broke down

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Sunderland have been backed for avoiding a shock transfer for ex-Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita, who was reportedly in talks over a move to the Stadium of Light.

According to a recent reveal from Ed Aarons of The Guardian, Keita is negotiating a potential switch to Istanbul Basaksehir from Werder Bremen after holding talks with Sunderland.

It is reported that discussions between the two parties failed to come to fruition in what would have certainly represented an ambitious, if not left-field capture for the Mackems.

Keita will be a familiar face to supporters, having previously spent five years in the Premier League with Liverpool. The Guinea international lifted both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League during his time at Anfield, where he made more than 100 appearances before being released at the end of his contract last summer.

Sunderland were unable to broker a deal for Keita following an electrifying start to the 2024/25 Championship campaign. They are the only team in the Championship to have claimed maximum points from their opening four encounters, sending them to the top of the league heading into September's international break.

Sunderland, Naby Keita transfer verdict offered

Although Keita boasts pedigree and experience at the highest echelons of the game, Sunderland have been backed for not completing an agreement in light of his age and recent difficulties in Germany by Football League World's Mackems fan pundit Keith Irving.

"So, a little bit of a surprising twist that came out at the back-end of the transfer window with Sunderland being linked with Naby Keita, the ex-Liverpool player now plying his trade with Werder Bremen," Keith explained to Football League World.

"Defensive midfielder, 29 years old, a little surprising that Sunderland were linked with this player - well I suppose not surprising after seeing their start to the season - but overall, he's got a wealth of European football [experience], played for some absolutely massive clubs.

"But apparently, Sunderland couldn't reach the personal terms that the player was looking for. Having said that, he has had his problems with suspensions and injures and at 29 years old, possibly at the wrong end of what we're looking for anyway which may have spurred the club on to chase that deal for Samlis Abdul Samed.

"At 24 and a very similar position as a defensive central midfielder, looks the better prospect at this stage.

"Nice to be linked with someone of the standard and calibre of Keita, but probably heading down the wrong end. Would've been nice to have someone of that experience I guess, but not what we're looking for at this moment in time. In someone like Abdul Samed, he's got European football experience, he's played in the French top-flight so a very very good standard of player to bring in.

"Alright, he hasn't had the career that Keita has just yet, but there's a lot of potential there.

"So it would've been nice to see a big name like that but I think it's testament to how Sunderland are going about their business now, obviously getting a little bit of a reputation for the style of football we've played at the beginning of the season as well - barring that cup exit, of course.

"Great to see us being linked with that kind of player, but ultimately would he have fitted in? Probably not. I don't think there's any room for big names at this moment in time.

"It's a squad that seems very balanced and has a good feel about that, no cliques or anything like that, so a good standard of young player I will take that any day of the week and we will see what Samed is all about next weekend."

Naby Keita would have been at odds with Sunderland's philosophy

While the experience and proven class in which Keita possesses cannot be disputed, it is much more debatable whether he would have aligned with Sunderland's strategy or perhaps even been a contradiction to it.

The former Liverpool and RB Leipzig star would still likely prove a real asset at Championship level with full fitness, but his career is undeniably on the decline and Sunderland's recruitment philosophy revolves around recruiting young, low-cost talent and nurturing those prospects with care and intent before ultimately selling them on for a significant profit.

Keita would have offered little possibility of potential resale value while also perhaps restricting the opportunities of Chris Rigg and Dan Neil, two young central midfielders who are very much the future of Sunderland.

If not, then Keita would probably not have been best pleased with being a squad option in the second-tier of English football.

The 29-year-old also received a season-ending suspension from Bremen towards the end of the previous campaign for walking out of their Bundesliga clash with Bayer Leverkusen. Regis Le Bris has a young, hungry, talented and united squad at his disposal and the last thing Sunderland would want is someone nearing the end of their career and capable of upsetting the dressing room.