Liverpool Confident Of Signing Key Target In Cut-Price £48m Deal Next Summer

Managers are now pressing ahead with their plans for the summer transfer window so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip from around the globe. Today, Liverpool may have to wait until 2018 to sign Naby Keita…

Liverpool are ready to shelve their pursuit of Naby Keita and are confident of eventually signing the RB Leipzig midfielder for just £48m next summer, according to the Telegraph.

Jurgen Klopp has been desperately chasing Keita in recent weeks after identifying the Guinea international as one of his prime transfer targets but the Reds have found it difficult to agree a deal with Leipzig.

The German outfit insist the 22-year-old isn’t for sale at any price this summer and the Telegraph say Liverpool don’t think they are bluffing after rejecting their offers of £57m and £66m.

There has been speculation suggesting the Merseysiders may return with an improved bid worth in excess of £70m but the newspaper claims Liverpool will not be increasing their offer unless Leipzig perform a major u-turn and make it clear they are willing to negotiate.

Instead, the Telegraph suggest Liverpool are ready to postpone their pursuit of Keita and renew their interest next summer when a £48m buy-out clause in the midfielder’s contract becomes active.

Obviously competition for the player will be fierce in 12 months time because £48m will look like a bargain for a player of Keita’s quality but the report indicates that Liverpool are confident they will win the race for his signature next summer.

However, it leaves Klopp in a difficult situation as the Reds boss would still like to further strengthen his squad this summer so he may have to reluctantly move on to other targets.

The German coach knows Liverpool need a stronger squad if they are to compete on all fronts this season and he ideally needs his new recruits in quickly as they face a potentially tricky Champions League qualifier in around three weeks time.

We’ll have to wait and see how things develop but I have a feeling there will still be a few more twists and turns in this transfer saga over the coming weeks and wouldn’t be surprised if Keita ends up joining Liverpool this summer.

READ MORE –> Liverpool transfer news

If he does, he would be a sensational signing for the Reds as he’s developed in to one of the best box-to-box midfielders in Europe over the past 12 months.