Naby Keita has discussed his burgeoning friendship with Daniel Sturridge at Liverpool, with the pair seemingly linking up well on and off the pitch.
Keita finally became a Reds player on July 1, having agreed to join from RB Leipzig last summer.
It took the Guinean no time to find his feet, and one player that Keita seems to have gelled with more than anyone is Sturridge, whether that be on or off the pitch.
The duo linked up superbly at times in pre-season, particularly in the 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers, and their social media antics suggest they are already close friends.
Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com, Keita revealed his admiration for his colleague, both as a footballer and a man:
“I have to say I’ve got a lot of respect for him.
“I’ve spent a lot of time with him in this last month and everybody has been very nice to me and very friendly, of course, but Daniel’s obviously a player with great experience and he’s a very good player as well.
“Like a lot of the lads, he’s a good laugh, but he’s also given me a lot of advice about the settling-in process and also in terms of motivation.
“He’s a very positive and motivating player, so this month has been very good and I’ve spent a lot of time with him. He’s a great guy.
“It’s like with all players, you develop a good understanding on the pitch and I’ve certainly done that with Dan.
“It’s the same with everybody, but I’m very happy when I get the opportunity to play together with Dan Sturridge.”
Jurgen Klopp appears to have created an unrivalled team spirit at Liverpool – one that was on display during the training camp in Evian last month.
Keita says it was a great experience, with a karaoke night seeing the 23-year-old having to perform an initiation song in front of the squad.
“There was a great atmosphere at Evian – I have to say I enjoyed it a lot,” he added.
“There were a lot of new players there obviously and we had this rite of passage where everybody had to get up and sing, and I did my bit.
“I really did enjoy it – I was quite nervous, but I did enjoy it!
“A trip like that is, for me, very good for the team, to go somewhere together. It does create a lot of cohesion among the players.”
Keita looks set to make his official Reds debut on Sunday afternoon, as Klopp’s men entertain West Ham at Anfield.
There is excitement in the air about what he could offer Liverpool in the years to come and his on-pitch relationship with Sturridge could be devastating at times.
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