Liverpool legend Didi Hamann insists Naby Keita shouldn't have picked the club's famous number eight jersey.

The midfielder became the first player to don the number eight since Steven Gerrard's departure in 2015.

"You can't do anything about the transfer fee. In fact, when a club pays that much for you it should give you a lot of confidence," the German told The Athletic.

"But, looking back, I don't think picking that shirt number was the best idea.

"That probably put more pressure on Keita. People maybe didn't compare him to Steven but that No 8 shirt – similar to the No 7 one – weighs a bit heavier than the other shirts at Liverpool."

He added: "The patience with Keita is still there.

"Some players make a major breakthrough after three or four years at a club. It does happen. I don't see Klopp giving up on him any time soon.

"But whether you could get a big fee for him and that money could be better spent elsewhere is maybe something that will need to be considered.

"The question is does Keita really believe he can become a major part of the team? Will the penny drop?

"Personally, I don't think he will ever be the player at Liverpool that everyone expected him to be when he first signed because of the way the team sets up. But there's still plenty of room for improvement. It's down to him."