- Club agreed £66.4M deal for midfielder in the summer
- Rumours were circulating about bringing a move the player forward
- Boss Ralf Rangnick has dismissed reports linking the midfielder with an early exit
- SEE MORE: Good news for Liverpool as Reds still in race to nab Bundesliga ace, Jurgen Klopp could be decisive factor in deal
Liverpool have been dealt a bitter blow in their attempts to bring forward a deal to sign RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita, after RB boss Ralf Rangnick said the Bundesliga side would not be letting the player leave the club earlier than anticipated.
This is according to Sky Sports, who state that there were talks between the two parties about potentially seeing Keita move to Anfield in January, and that some reports from Germany were stating that the midfielder would put on a Leipzig shirt for the final time on Saturday.
The news outlet are also stating that Ralf Ragnick, boss of Leipzig, has said that a deal for Keita, which was agreed at a cost of £66.4M for the Reds, would be taking place in the summer and not in January.
Speaking about Keita, Rangnick said “We won’t allow LFC to sign him early, even though they have shown renewed interest to bring him in during this transfer window.”
Since moving to Germany from Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg in the summer of 2016, Keita has seen himself labelled as one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga, and rightly so.
In 53 appearances for Rangnick’s side, the Guinean international has managed to bag a total of 14 goals and nine assists, and impressive record.
So far this campaign, Keita has been fairly average, with the 22-year-old only managing to score three times and assist once in 14 league games, a fairly poor return for a player of his quality.
Last season, the midfielder showed exactly what he was capable of, as he scored eight and assisted eight in 31 league games, an impressive record seeing as it was his first season in the Bundesliga.
Keita should be able to fit into Liverpool’s side with ease, as the player’s direct play style and bags of stamina should see him fit perfectly into Jurgen Klopp’s system.
MORE: Liverpool transfer news
Following this news, it’ll be interesting to see if the Reds go for another midfielder as a stop-gap until Keita eventually joins the club in the summer.
OFFICIAL: Naby #Keïta will remain an #RBLeipzig player until 30th June 2018. We wish to put the speculation about a January move to @LFC to bed. pic.twitter.com/Cilx09m24e
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) January 14, 2018
? Ralf #Rangnick: "We won't allow @LFC to sign him early, even though they have shown renewed interest to bring him in during this transfer window." pic.twitter.com/aOGpRIe5r9
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) January 14, 2018