Leipzig confirm Keita bids

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made the Guinean his top midfield target this summer and was reportedly ready to smash the club's transfer record to bring in the midfielder, though he has since abandoned his pursuit.

RB Leipzig's sporting director Ralf Rangnick has confirmed that the Merseysiders did bid for the 22-year-old, but says that there was never any chance of the German side letting the player go.

'There were two offers from Liverpool and in between times also a telephone call between the clubs,' he explained. 'But not between me and Jurgen Klopp.

'For us, it was always clear that we would not give Naby Keita. That is why there was no direct contact.

'Every club that has sporting ambitions would have done the same as we did.

'But we must weigh it up. If we let Keita go for €70-80m this year, what more would that bring us compared to the sum we would get next year?' 

The player is rumoured to have a €50m release clause that comes into effect next summer and Rangnick admitted that the club may be forced to let the player leave if he continues to develop at his current rate.

'Sometimes, players develop even faster than the club,' he said. 

'When he plays a season like last year and, if possible, in the Champions League too - then we might be able to let a player join a big club and live with it.'