Former Liverpool star Keita is BANISHED from the first team

A former Liverpool favourite has been banished from the first team and transfer-listed at his new club.

The decision comes after a torrid campaign in which he played just 107 minutes.

It culminated in the star refusing to play after being told that he would be benched for a match towards the end of the season.

That led to his new club suspending him for the final five matches of the campaign.

Now, the team are looking to 'move him on as soon as possible' and cut their losses after getting just five games out of an injury-hit 2023-24.

The player in question is none other than Naby Keita, 29, who won the Premier League and Champions League under Jurgen Klopp.

He joined Bundesliga side Werder Bremen last summer after his contract expired at Liverpool following a trophy-laden five years.

The Guinean midfielder, who played twice at the Olympic Games before his nation was knocked out, had a lot to look forward to when he signed for Werder.

Putting a complicated final season at Liverpool behind him, Keita was returning to the Bundesliga, where he had made his name with RB Leipzig.

Yet his second stint in Germany has only been marred with frustration.

This came to a climax in April when he found out he would only be on the bench to play against Bayer Leverkusen and thus refused to board the team bus to the game.

Werder decided to suspend him until the end of the season, banish him from training and the dressing room, and hit him with a 'significant' fine.

Unable to resolve the conflict over the summer, they have re-banished him and put him up for sale.

'It was a very open conversation in which we came to the joint conclusion that this is the most sensible way forward in the current situation,' said Clement Fritz, the managing director of football.

'On the one hand, we want to focus fully on the rest of the preparation and the start of the season. On the other hand, Naby had also been thinking about it for some time.

'Since his sporting situation has not changed again, he would like to look for a new challenge. Together with his advisor, we want to make this happen as soon as possible.'