Cheick Keita (born 16 April 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a left back for Birmingham City of the EFL Championship. Keita previously played for Italian club Virtus Entella, and spent the 2017–18 Serie A season on loan to Bologna and the following season on loan to Belgian First Division A club Eupen. He was born in France, but has represented Mali at under-20 level and has been an unused substitute for the senior team.
Born in 1996 in Paris, Keita started his youth football career at the local team, Paris FC. He had been selected to attend INF Clairefontaine, and spent three years in Monaco's youth system before being released.
After trials with French clubs failed to produce a contract, Keita joined the youth team of Italian second-tier club Virtus Entella. On 17 January 2015, he was an unused substitute in a Serie B match against Bari. Early the following season, on 12 September, the player made his senior debut in Serie B against A.C. Cesena at Stadio Comunale, playing the game as a starter under coach Alfredo Aglietti. He was shown a yellow card in the 32nd minute. On 24 October, Keita was sent off after 75 minutes of the match against Bari for receiving two yellow cards. He was again sent off on 26 March 2016 against Como, this time in stoppage time. He played 32 games (including a game in the Coppa Italia) and was shown eleven yellow cards and two red. After considerable transfer window interest from what website TuttoB.com dubbed "half of Serie A", Keita remained with Entella. He made 14 league appearances in the first half of the 2016–17 season, with only one yellow card.