Keita release fee revealed as Liverpool weigh up early move

Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig have reportedly told Liverpool how much it will cost them to bring Naby Keita to the club earlier than originally planned.

There have been strong rumours that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is looking to bring in Keita six months earlier than expected as he looks to offset the loss of Philippe Coutinho.

Liverpool currently have a deal worth around £55million in place to sign the Guinea international this summer but with Coutinho now gone, Klopp is said to be desperate to sign Keita now.

Leipzig have so far stood firm and are refusing to let the player leave, however, Bild claims that the Bundesliga side want at least £18m to even consider the potential option.

The report has surfaced despite Leipzig making an official statement on the matter: “OFFICIAL: Naby Keita will remain an RB Leipzig player until 30th June 2018.

“We wish to put the speculation about a January move to Liverpool to bed.”

 

Want news and features on the Reds on your Facebook timeline? Like our dedicated Liverpool page.

 

Ralf Rangnick, Leipzig’s Sports Director, added: “We do not give Naby Keita an early start, even though Liverpool have once again laid down his interest in him to sign him in this transfer window. As everyone knows, we are not a sales club.

“That would only have been possible if we had reached an amicable solution in the sense of an exorbitant additional transfer payment.

“This is not the case and so we have decided to end this topic. Naby and his advisor also accepted this decision.

Liverpool do have other options in mind to replace Coutinho, although they are more attack-minded ones than Keita, with Sporting Lisbon winger Gelson Martins said to have agreed a move to Anfield despite a fee not being agreed between the two clubs.