Liverpool have reportedly made a bid of £74.2m to try and finally prise top Jurgen Klopp target Naby Keita away from RB Leipzig.
The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield all summer, and he was back in the headlines on Monday after a training-ground bust-up led to fresh suggestions that he could be on his way out.
Leipzig boss Ralph Hasenhuttl opted to cancel the training session after the heated exchange of tackles and later ordered Keita to apologise as it’s uncertain whether or not there is still tension hanging over the team.
After an impressive campaign in the Bundesliga last year, during which he helped Leipzig qualify for the Champions League, Klopp has seemingly focused on Keita being his pivotal signing of the summer.
According to Bild, bids of £57m and £66m have already been turned down, now Liverpool are ready to launch a whopping offer of €83m [£74.2m] for the Guinea international.
A clause in Keita’s contract stipulaties that he can leave for much less next summer, but it appears as though Liverpool aren’t prepared to wait around as they want to bolster Klopp’s squad immediately.
The signing of Mohamed Salah was a shrewd way to start the summer, while Andy Robertson solves a real headache for the German tactician at left-back.
However, he seems determined to strengthen his midfield options next with the Champions League also in mind, and the Merseyside giants are going all out in their bid to make Keita the man to solve their issues in the middle.