Reports: Liverpool And RB Leipzig Agree On A Fee For Naby Keita
Reuters / Hannibal Hanschke
Liverpool, under Jurgen Klopp, are hoping for a better season this time around, and have been bringing in players to fill the ranks. In fact, yet another target from their shortlist could soon be crossed out, as Naby Keita from RB Leipzig edges closer to making a switch.
Leipzig, the club from Saxony which grew in ranks from just being promoted to the Bundesliga to achieving 2nd position in the league, has surprised one and all, along with its players. The 22-year-old midfielder, Naby Keita, is one among them.
Having joined the club only last summer from sister club RB Salzburg, he made an immediate impact in the first team.
According to Winner Sports, the English club has agreed to a massive £74.5 million deal for the Guinean International. They also claim that the Reds are ready to pay the amount upfront, which they were previously only willing to uptil £40 million.
The finer details regarding the finance of the deal will be looked upon more closely once both sides agree to the value.
After bringing in Mohamed Salah from Roma and Dominic Solanke from Chelsea, Klopp believes that Keita might be the best player to man the central midfield with. He had scored 8 goals for his team last season.
The value of this deal goes beyond the player himself. This shows that Liverpool are finally beginning to show their financial might by buying targets they strongly agree upon. Rather than working on a limited budget, they now are ready to step up their game to match the values other rich clubs bid with.
Keita’s playing style has been widely sought after in Europe. One of the rare players who are close in playing style to N’Golo Kante, he has the sharpness to distribute the ball well, but is also the tactician to intercept through-balls.
Nonetheless, the transfer seems unlikely still, as Leipzig won’t be willing to let go of their star player just after one season for a lump sum of money. With their owners being Red Bull, they do not have a lack of financial resources, and hence, the chances of a move are bleak.
Written by Srivats Venkateswaran 
Sports writer with a long experience of writing in football.Was football team head at EssentiallySports. Still deeply misses Sir Alex and Berbatov at United. An introvert at heart with a poetic hand. Engineer by choice, writer by passion.