‘No way’ Liverpool sign Naby Keita this summer
Liverpool have been chasing RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita throughout the summer but the Reds may have suffered a crushing blow in their pursuit of the player.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo this week, chief reporter & Leipzig correspondent for German sports magazine Kicker, Oliver Hartmann, claims that Keita will not be leaving the Bundesliga club this summer.
When asked if Leipzig will sell the player to Liverpool this summer, he simply replied: ‘No way’.
Amid reports that Leipzig would’ve considered selling the former Salzburg star for £70m (€80m) this summer, Hartmann reports that they have no plans to sell their best players:
Ralf Rangnick (Leipzig’s sporting director) said that he will not sell any major player this summer. And a ‘no’ from Rangnick means ‘no’. Keita can leave next year for approximately €55m. He has a clause in his contract.
It appears as if Liverpool’s pursuit of Keita has been set back until the summer of 2018 and there’s no doubt that a €55m fee is more attractive for the Reds, but could bring other clubs to the table, as Hartmann claims that Bayern Munich will try and sign Keita next summer.
Liverpool have also been linked with fellow Leipzig stars Emil Forsberg and Timo Werner, but both players will not be leaving the Bundesliga runners-up this summer as they don’t need the money seeing as they’re backed by Red Bull.
Jurgen Klopp will now need to assess other targets if he wishes to improve his midfield this summer with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain being linked with a move to Anfield.