Seydou Keita Shuns Liverpool

By Parvez Fatteh, Founder of http://sportingummah.com, sports@muslimobserver.com

Malian footballer Seydou Keita was reportedly in advanced talks with English football giants Liverpool before choosing instead to sign with Spanish club Valencia. The former Sevilla and Barcelona midfielder has spent the last 18 months in China with Dalian Aerbin, but opened the door to a European return in January.

At his introductory press conference on Monday, the Mali international told reporters, “When we received the call from Valencia, talks with Liverpool were at a very advanced stage. But then I told my agent we were going to Valencia. I did not doubt for a second. When I came to play at Mestalla with Sevilla or Barcelona I suffered a lot to win, because this is a really big club with fantastic fans. That is why I opted to come here.”

Keita, who also had offers from clubs in Dubai, Qatar and Turkey, signed a six-month deal with Valencia which includes the option for a 12-month extension in the summer. A versatile midfielder, Keita can operate as both a central or defensive midfielder. He played most notably with Lens in the French League 1, and Barcelona in the Spanish La Liga, winning 14 titles with the latter. Keita has also represented the Malian national team since the age of 20, appearing with the team in six African Cup of Nations tournaments.

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