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Report: Leipzig slaps hefty £70M price tag on Liverpool target Keita

Reuters / Hannibal Hanschke Livepic

If Liverpool is to add the breathless box-to-box play of Naby Keita to its midfield this summer, it may have to empty the piggy bank and check under the sofa cushions to gather the required £70-million (€79.8-million) sum.

Despite Keita's refusal to sign a new contract in one of Germany's thriving art hubs, the Guardian's Ed Aarons understands RB Leipzig is requesting that gargantuan fee for the Guinean. His contract expires in 2020.

It's quite the markup from the €15 million Leipzig parted with to nab the 22-year-old from sister club Red Bull Salzburg last summer, and is £20 million (€22.78 million) more than what Liverpool wanted to offer.

Keita emerged as Liverpool's next prime target following last Thursday's €42-million signing of Mohamed Salah from Roma. Keita is able to shore matters up in the middle of the park - he initially played in a deep midfield role for Adolf Hutter in Salzburg - but appeared liberated when given more license to roam by the Austrian later in the 2014-15 campaign.

At Salzburg and Leipzig, Keita's become attuned to a high-octane style of play, so should be a round peg for a round hole when it comes to potentially joining Liverpool. The Anfield hopeful will be hoping his possible introduction bears similarities to his Bundesliga debut: Keita entered the fray with 84 minutes on the clock, and promptly scored the only goal in a defeat of Borussia Dortmund.

Overall, Keita contributed eight goals and seven assists in his maiden Bundesliga venture.

Considering the huge progress of Ralph Hasenhuttl's young ranks last term - a second-placed finish was secured after only being promoted the previous season - RB Leipzig isn't keen on breaking up an exciting and improving squad.

"It would be negligent to give away one of our key players now," club chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff said last week. "Emil (Forsberg) and Naby are both extremely talented players with a lot of potential. We are delighted that we as a club can keep up with their development and that we can prove ourselves in Champions League in the upcoming season."

Liverpool should also return to that continental competition for the first time in three years, with the draw for its two-legged qualification playoff slated for Aug. 4.

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