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RB Leipzig want £70m for midfielder but Liverpool handed encouragement

RB Leipzig want £70m for midfielder but Liverpool handed encouragement

Liverpool have been handed fresh encouragement in their pursuit of RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita but must fork out £70m for the players’ services.

Ed Aarons, The Guardian’s Deputy Sports News Editor, wrote this morning that the Reds are willing to place a £50m bid on the box-to-box midfielder who scored eight goals in the Bundesliga last season.

Keita, who was part of the newly promoted side that achieved a runners-up finished last season in a phenomenal campaign, still has three years remaining on his contract to the German side but has refused to sign a brand new deal, sparking interest from the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City.

The Merseyside club would be glad to hear of the 22-year-olds desire to leave the Bundesliga club should the valuation on him be met with an outside party.

Liverpool have the upper hand on clubs Arsenal and Manchester United this summer in some respect, as their fourth-place finish in the Premier League last season means that they are able to offer highly-sought-after players Champions League football for the next campaign.

Jacque Talbot (@Jac_Talbot)