Liverpool have officially unveiled Naby Keita with the midfielder becoming the first Red to wear the No. 8 shirt since Steven Gerrard left..

Keita, 23, will formally complete his transfer on Sunday and next week will join up with his new team-mates for pre-season.

The move was officially announced last summer, with Liverpool and RB Leipzig agreeing for the transfer to only go through in 2018.

“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," Keita told the club's website.

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

The Guinea international scored 17 goals in 71 Bundesliga appearances for Leipzig and will wear the No. 8 shirt for his new club, the first Liverpool player to do so since former captain Gerrard left.

Keita also told the Liverpool website how Gerrard himself gave Keita the jersey.

“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.

“When he came in, I looked and 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.”

Source: https://www.eurosport.com/football/premier-league/2018-2019/naby-keita-takes-no.-8-shirt-as-he-s-unveiled-by-liverpool_sto6823723/story.shtml

Never Walk Alone