Liverpool fans were made to wait a long time for Naby Keita to arrive. Nearly six years on, and with his summer departure now officially confirmed, some might argue it was a wait that has never really ended.
As the No.8 enters his final days on Merseyside, just how do you begin to assess Keita's complicated Liverpool legacy? Those who champion him say he was the unique, press-resistant playmaker that helped Jurgen Klopp's team win it all between 2019 and 2022, including a sixth European Cup, a 19th league title and a first-ever Club World Cup.
On the other hand, his detractors will argue he was an injury-prone spare part who could never stay fit long enough to become an integral member of that squad who achieved so much. His Anfield exit at the end of the season will ensure that the debate will rage for some time.
