Liverpool target Naby Keita wants to quit RB Leipzig this summer, according to a reliable German journalist.
Raphael Honigstein, who writes and broadcasts about German football for BT Sport and the Guardian, delivered the bombshell on his personal Twitter account on Monday.
Following the report by German newspaper Bild earlier in the day that Leipzig have slapped a £70million price tag on Keita, who has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool in recent weeks, Honigstein said his sources have told “Keita want to go”.
Before this all gets too messy. 1) I have been told that Keita wants to go. 2) I believe RBL’s €80m or nothing stance is genuine.
— Raphael Honigstein (@honigstein) June 26, 2017
He added that Leipzig’s astronomical price tag is “genuine” even though this has not been corroborated by officials from the Bundesliga club, whose public stance is simply that they want to hold on to Keita for at least another season.
Intriguingly, Honigstein’s information about the central midfielder contradicts that of Bild, who report that he wants to stay at Leipzig for another season.
The box-to-box midfielder has made a huge impact at Leipzig since joining from Red Bull Salzburg last summer, scoring eight goals and supplying eight assists from 31 league appearances.
Honigstein delivered the update after being questioned by Liverpool supporters on Twitter about the possible transfer that has caught the imagination of a fanbase keen for manager Jurgen Klopp to strengthen in central midfield.
News that Keita is looking to leave will provide huge encouragement to the Merseysiders that a deal can be possible before the window shuts in late August.
Liverpool have already been active in this summer’s market, following up the signing of young forward Dominic Solanke from Chelsea with the club-record purchase of Mohamed Salah from Roma for £35million rising to £39million with add-ons.