Liverpool Transfer News: Naby Keita Price Reportedly Set, Latest Reds Rumours
Liverpool will reportedly have to part with a whopping €80 million (£70 million) if they're to land RB Leipzig's midfield star Naby Keita this summer.
According to Bild (h/t Joe Rimmer of the Liverpool Echo), the Bundesliga outfit do not want to cash in on the Guinean or any of their other major assets in the transfer window.
Ed Aarons of The Guardian also suggested the Reds will need to spend big to get the 22-year-old:
According to Rimmer, Keita represents a "priority target" for Liverpool after his stunning debut term in the Bundesliga.
Here's a look at what he can offer:
The Leipzig man quickly established a reputation as one of the most multidimensional midfielders around.
Keita is something of a throwback. Operating as one of two central midfielders, out of possession he's more than willing to do defensive work, preventing opponents from having space, snapping into tackles and picking off stray passes.
Additionally, Keita showed on numerous occasions that he can make an impression in the final third, too. His dribbling is outstanding, and he boasts great instincts around the penalty area.
He'd be a wonderful acquisition for the Reds, although German football journalist Stefan Bienkowski suggested recently he doesn't see the player going anywhere:
However, Raphael Honigstein has suggested the player may be keen to take on a new challenge:
RB Leipzig are in a strong position where they can demand the kind of money aforementioned. The club are well backed, and after their sensational 2016-17 Bundesliga season, they can offer their current stars UEFA Champions League football.
While Liverpool would be a tempting prospect, he's developing wonderfully in Germany at the heart of an exciting project. The Reds, at the moment, would surely be unwilling to part with £70 million for his services, too.
Max Meyer Linked
According to Paul Hetherington of the Daily Star, Liverpool are monitoring the progress of Germany starlet Max Meyer at the UEFA Under-21 European Championships.
It's said the Reds were looking at Meyer as a potential alternative to Mohamed Salah, who made the move to Anfield last week.
The FC Schalke 04 man may still be on the Reds' agenda, though, according to Hetherington: "Meyer has only a year remaining on his contract and, after refusing to extend his deal, Schalke have had to reduce his valuation to under £20 million."
As noted by Sport Witness, Tottenham Hotspur have also been linked with the player, who is set to be available for a cut-price fee:
The 21-year-old was rated as one of the brightest prospects in German football when he burst on to the scene as a teenager. As of yet, he's been unable to live up to the hype many showered him with. Potentially, a chance of scenery would help him to kick on.
Meyer would surely be willing to work under Klopp, and the manager has shown he's adept at adding more facets to footballer's games. Yet with Salah, Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino around, competition for a starting spot would be fierce at Anfield.
.jpg?w=600 "🚨 Giants Picking 5th and 10th")
