Klopp teases £268m Keita bid & RB Leipzig coach puts Reds out their misery

Posted by

Jurgen Klopp was in high spirits when questioned about Naby Keita on Saturday after seeing his side cruise to a comfortable 3-0 win over Hertha Berlin.

The Reds boss was in a positive mood regarding the situation, despite Liverpool having seemingly ended their pursuit of the Guinean due to RB Leipzig’s insistence he would not be sold for any price this summer.

Liverpool have seen two bids rejected for the midfielder, the first of £57million and the second of £66million, and have since decided not to make a third attempt.

When asked whether the club would be making another approach, Klopp told Sky Deutschland, per the Express: “Then we’ll make a €300m [£268m] offer for Keita!”

The expectation is that the club will return for the 22-year-old next summer, when his £48million release clause can finally be activated.

For now, though, Klopp’s desire to bolster the spine of his team means alternative midfield targets are likely to be identified while an official offer for Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk could also be made.

Leipzig coach Ralph Hasenhuttl was also recently at hand to confirm that Keita would be going nowhere at this moment in time.

“The chance (of Keita leaving) is ‘null’. It’s 100 per cent clear that Naby will play this year in Leipzig,” he told the Liverpool Echo.

That’s that as far as Liverpool’s chances of signing their main target in this window are concerned, although the priority right now is undoubtedly keeping Philippe Coutinho from the clutches of Barcelona.

A £72million bid from the Spanish side has already been rejected but the Brazilian is now reportedly set to ask Klopp to let him leave for the Nou Camp.

What an exhausting transfer window this is turning out to be. Let’s just be glad we’ve got Klopp to keep us amused with potential £268million bids.

SEE MORE:
Teenage sensation named Klopp’s No.1 replacement for Coutinho

More Stories Jürgen Klopp Liverpool Naby Keita