Southampton had a bid rejected for Mandela Keita, the 22-year-old midfielder from Royal Antwerp. As the summer transfer window approaches its final days, Keita has become a hot topic in the football world, with multiple clubs, including Italian teams, now pursuing him.
- Southampton’s bid for Mandela Keita was rejected.
- Multiple clubs, including Italian teams, are now interested in Keita.
- Keita has a market value of €13.00m.
Current Transfer Speculations
According to a tweet by renowned football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Southampton’s bid for the talented Belgian midfielder was rejected. Following this, more clubs, including some from Italy, have shown interest in acquiring the 22-year-old’s services.
🚨🇧🇪 Mandela Keita can still leave Royal Antwerp in the final days of the summer window.
After Southampton bid rejected, more clubs started to move for 22 year old talented midfielder; also from Italy. https://t.co/F2LdIRX0rk
pic.twitter.com— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano)
October 05, 2023
Keita, who has a market value of €13.00m, has made 4 appearances for Royal Antwerp in the 2024/2025 season. His impressive performances have not gone unnoticed, with several clubs keen on securing his talents.
Mandela Keita’s Career So Far
Mandela Keita, born in Leuven, Belgium, on May 10, 2002, has been a pivotal player for Royal Antwerp. Standing at 1.80 m and weighing 78 kg, Keita primarily plays as a defensive midfielder. He holds both Belgian and Guinean nationalities and prefers using his right foot on the pitch.
His career statistics include:
- National Team:
- Belgium Senior Team: 1 cap
- Belgium U21: 8 caps
- Club Career:
- Royal Antwerp (2024/2025): 4 appearances, 0 goals, 0 assists
- Royal Antwerp (2023/2024): 28 appearances, 0 goals, 2 assists
- OH Leuven (2023/2024): 1 appearance, 0 goals, 0 assists
- Royal Antwerp (2022/2023): 17 appearances, 1 goal, 1 assist
- OH Leuven (2022/2023): 8 appearances, 0 goals, 0 assists
- OH Leuven (2021/2022): 26 appearances, 0 goals, 1 assist
- OH Leuven (2020/2021): 1 appearance, 0 goals, 0 assists
Transfer and Injury History
Keita’s transfer history highlights his growing reputation:
- July 1, 2024: Transferred from OH Leuven to Royal Antwerp for €5.0m
- June 30, 2024: Returned from loan to OH Leuven
- August 10, 2023: Loaned to Royal Antwerp from OH Leuven
- June 30, 2023: Returned from loan to OH Leuven
- January 31, 2023: Loaned to Royal Antwerp from OH Leuven for €3.0m
Despite his talents, Keita has faced injury setbacks:
- March 4, 2024 – April 14, 2024: Injury
- October 22, 2023 – December 1, 2023: Knee Injury
- May 29, 2023 – June 3, 2023: Injury
- March 3, 2023 – March 4, 2023: Injury
- April 11, 2022 – September 30, 2022: Foot Injury
Broader Transfer Market Context
Keita’s potential move isn’t the only interesting development in the transfer market:
- Southampton recently acquired Cameron Archer from Aston Villa for £15 million and secured Lesley Ugochukwu on loan from Chelsea. Read more
- Antonio Conte provided a crucial update on Napoli’s star winger, shedding light on potential transfer moves. Read more
- Juventus has secured a top midfielder while Aston Villa pulled off a double transfer coup. Read more
As the transfer window closes, all eyes will be on Mandela Keita and whether he makes a significant move to another club.
For more details on Mandela Keita, check out his Transfermarkt Profile, Eurosport Profile, Soccerzz Profile, and Flashscore Profile.
