Liverpool
Liverpool Table Record £74.2m Bid As Klopp Chases 4th Summer Signing
Liverpool have tabled an offer worth £74.2m for RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita as Jurgen Klopp tries to tie-up his fourth signing of the 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 have tabled an improved offer for Naby Keita…
Liverpool have tabled an improved offer worth a club record £74.2m (€83m) for RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita as Jurgen Klopp desperately tries to tie-up his fourth signing of the summer, according to Bild via the Daily Star.
Klopp have been chasing Keita all summer after earmarking the 22-year-old as a prime target but the Merseysiders have found it increasingly difficult to agree a deal with Leipzig.
The German club have publicly insisted the midfielder isn’t for sale at any price and the Telegraph reported yesterday that Liverpool were ready to shelve their pursuit until next summer after seeing their second bid of £66m rejected.
However, it appears the Reds have made one last attempt to persuade Leipzig into a deal as the Daily Star are citing a report from Bild that claims Liverpool have now tabled a third bid worth £74.2m.
The German publication doesn’t indicate whether Leipzig have responded to the latest offer yet but it could prove too good to resist considering Keita’s £48m buy-out clause will become active next summer so they risk missing out on millions if they don’t cash-in now.
Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol says Keita is keen joining Liverpool this summer, however, he suggests the midfielder may have to hand in a formal transfer request to force a move to Anfield.
Solhekol is quoted as saying by the Daily Star:
“Our information is that RB Leipzig are totally adamant that he will not be sold this summer. They’ve already turned down two Liverpool bids. The second one was £66m.
“Keita wants to move to Liverpool and the big question now is, will he hand in a formal transfer request? Liverpool have the option of waiting until next summer, when they can activate his release clause for £48m.”
We’ll have to wait and see how this reported third offer is received by Leipzig but the news comes shortly after footage emerged of Keita being involved in an ugly training ground incident that saw him injure a team-mate.
It appears the player may be growing increasingly frustrated at not being allowed to join Liverpool so I have a feeling we’ll see Leipzig agree a deal with the Merseysiders eventually.
READ MORE –> Liverpool transfer news
The Guinean international would be a sensational signing if Liverpool do pull it off and he’d become Klopp’s fourth major addition of the summer following the arrivals of Mohamed Salah, Dominic Solanke and Andrew Robertson.
