Klopp lukewarm on claims Keita could make early Liverpool move

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has ruled out the prospect of midfielder Naby Keita joining the club earlier than expected in January.

The Reds completed a deal to sign Keita next summer, agreeing a club-record fee and paying a premium on top to secure the highly-rated midfielder’s signature.

But there have been some suggestions that Liverpool might be able to tempt RB Leipzig into selling the player early after the Bundesliga outfit dropped out of the Champions League after the group stage and into the Europa.

Klopp, however, has dismissed those ideas.

“No. He is a player of Leipzig,” he said when asked whether Keita could join in January.

“How do we deal with this? I thought we don’t speak about transfers.

“There is an agreement with the club that he will come in June or July to Liverpool. There is nothing else to say about that.

“We really don’t think about it because of all the things Leipzig have said. They said they do not have to sell any player [early]. Why should they do something like that?

“So no, we don’t think about it.”