Liverpool have received a significant boost in their pursuit of RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita following reports that a £70million price-tag has been slapped on the midfielder.
The Guinean has refused a new deal at the club and expressed his desire to leave if his valuation is met this summer, according to the Guardian.
These suggestions represent perhaps the clearest indication yet that Liverpool stand a realistic chance of luring Keita to Anfield and will undoubtedly invite the club to make an official enquiry about one of Jurgen Klopp’s priority targets.
German journalist Raphael Honigstein was also at hand to reiterate these claims and the idea that it will take meeting the full £70million asking-price to sign the 22-year-old.
Before this all gets too messy. 1) I have been told that Keita wants to go. 2) I believe RBL’s €80m or nothing stance is genuine.
— Raphael Honigstein (@honigstein) June 26, 2017
Liverpool are keen on following up the £36.9million arrival of Mohamed Salah by pursuing Keita as the next of multiple high-profile signings they are planning on making ahead of the new season.
Klopp’s determination to sign the Bundesliga star stems from a desire to bolster the spine of his team ahead of the new season, something he is also planning to do with the introduction of a new central defender.
Consistent all-action performances from Keita saw him emerge as a standout performer in Germany’s top flight last season, in which he helped inspire Leipzig to a second-placed finish in the club’s first campaign since earning promotion.
He is viewed as a player with the expertise designed to help him thrive in Liverpool’s setup and add to the explosive dimension Klopp is striving to implement. The Reds, ultimately, deem signing Keita as a step closer towards reestablishing themselves as title challengers.