According to the Liverpool Echo, Liverpool target and Red Bull Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita is unlikely to sign a new contract at the German side, confirms Leipzig sporting director.
As well as Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk, Keita has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool this summer.
Amid the links, the German side were set to offer the Guinean a new deal to try and keep him at the club.
Keita’s deal runs out in 2020 which has a £48m release clause which will kick in next season but Leipzig wanted Keita to sign a new deal which would demolish this release clause, meaning Keita couldn’t get a move to Anfield which he so desperately wants.
Liverpool have been busy in this transfer window, bringing in Dominic Solanke from Chelsea, Mohamed Salah from Roma and Andrew Robertson from Hull, taking their spending to £43m, and they are prepared to more than double that with the signing of Keita.
RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick said:
I am not currently assuming that we will be able to extend his contract prematurely. I can assure you that Naby is playing with us this season. All other scenarios also depend on how we do this season, how Naby plays himself and so on.
So Liverpool and their fans may have to wait another year to see Naby Keita in a Liverpool shirt.
