Liverpool line up £21million German alternative to Naby Keita

Schalke’s Leon Goretzka has been touted as a possible alternative if Liverpool fail to sign RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita.

The Reds have pursued Keita for the majority of the summer window, but Leipzig have so far refused to sell, knocking back bids of £58million and £66million for their star midfielder.

In and amongst rumours of a final take-it-or-leave-it £70million offer for the player, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has begun looking at a contingency plan, and believes countryman Goretzka would be a suitable alternative, according the Daily Mirror.

Goretzka, 22, has been linked with Arsenal and Bayern Munich this summer, and is out of contract next season.

A fee of £21million has been mentioned, but Schalke have previously insisted the player is not for sale.

And discussing his future at Schalke last month, Goretzka insists he pays little attention to media specualtion.

“I’m not going to give state-of-play updates, but if there are facts, I will announce them,” he said.

“I’m not the type to be impressed by newspaper reports, I know what my qualities are, but I will not build myself up.

“I won’t talk on possible switches to a different club [during the tournament],” Goretzka added. “As soon as there are facts I will be providing them and publicising them on what my decision is. But now there is no news in that respect.”

The central midfielder made 41 appearances in all competitions for Schalke last term, notching eight goals and six assists, and also featured regularly for Germany as they won the Confederations Cup this summer.

Liverpool have made just three signings so far this summer in the form of Dominic Solanke, Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson.

Their public pursuits of both Keita and Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk have not been successful so far, as the Reds struggle to close deals for their main remaining transfer targets.