Man United Join Liverpool In The Pursuit Of RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita
Reuters / Hannibal Hanschke
Manchester United have joined rivals Liverpool in pursuit of RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita, after the German outfit softened its stance on keeping the midfielder.
The player joins a host of other midfielders that United have been linked with this summer, as their hunt for a reinforcement in the centre of the pitch continues.
According to Football Whispers, Liverpool have been working on a deal for the Guinean box-to-box midfielder all summer, and the Reds’ efforts to land the player have caused Leipzig to reconsider their position of refusing to sell.
This, in turn, has prompted Jose Mourinho to consider Keita for a transfer swoop.
United aren’t the only club besides Liverpool, as the likes of Manchester City, Juventus, and Inter Milan are also said interested in signing the 22-year-old this summer.
A lucrative figure could see the promising midfielder leave the Red Bull Arena despite the German club’s wish of not losing any key players, as they are set to feature in the Champions League this term.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have already seen a blockbuster bid rejected earlier, and will be keen to better that offer. Keita too, is understood to be in favour of a move to Anfield. But the football transfer market is a surprising entity, and United too, are now in the mix, and are keeping an eye on the situation.
Reuters / Phil Noble
Jose’s side is known to be in the hunt for midfield reinforcements this summer, but a deal for Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic has stalled, and Spurs aren’t keen on letting Eric Dier leave the club. If United fail in landing any of the above targets, they could be forced to find other players, with Keita now being one of them, alongside Monaco’s Fabinho.
Keita is a box-to-box midfielder rather than a holding player, and that’s what keeps Jose’s interest in the player a strange one. He scored 8 goals and registered 7 assists in 31 Bundesliga outings last term, and likes a role very similar to Paul Pogba.
The Portuguese, however, is said to be looking for a player to be a long-term replacement of Michael Carrick.
Written by Rajdeep Saha 
Sports journalist with stints across print, digital and television. Contribution to each medium has been thrilling. Experienced in writing for this passionate game called football. Journalist by choice and passion.