Transfer Update: Medical Today As Liverpool Finally Sign Naby Keita In Record Breaking Transfer Fee.

Transfer Update: Medical Today As Liverpool Finally Sign Naby Keita In Record Breaking Transfer Fee.

  Liverpool have agreed a club record deal to sign Naby Keita from RB Leipzig next summer and are also interested in prising Thomas Lemar from Monaco before the transfer deadline on Thursday. Keita, Jurgen Klopp’s prime midfield target for this summer, underwent a medical in England yesterday after Liverpool finally reached agreement with Leipzig over the terms of his transfer. 

  Liverpool are to activate the £48mn release clause in the midfielder’s contract – a clause that comes into effect at the end of this season – and will pay a premium to secure the deal now.

  Barcelona have been among the rival clubs linked with the Guinea international and Liverpool have moved to ensure Klopp will get his man.

 Leipzig have refused to consider selling Keita in this window but have accepted a deal that will allow them to retain the player for their debut Champions League season while earning more than his eventual release clause.

  The 22-year-old, who had a medical in Wilmslow yesterday and is expected to finalise the move at Melwood, will officially become a Liverpool player on 1 July 2018. Liverpool are keen to add Lemar to their squad in this window, although they are yet to make a bid for the 21-year-old.

  Arsenal have been long-term admirers of the France international but have been informed by Monaco that he is not for sale. That stance may remain unchanged in the face of Liverpool’s interest but the club are expected to test Monaco’s resolve with a club-record offer worth around £60mn, with the possibility of Divock Origi heading the other way.

  Meanwhile, Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet will start the club’s next Premier League match against Manchester City after being rested for Sunday’s 4-0 win over Arsenal, manager Klopp said after the Anfield drubbing.

  Mignolet’s omission from the matchday squad raised some eyebrows but Klopp explained that the Belgium international was still his first choice and had been left out to keep him fresh. “Intensity for a goalkeeper is different,” Klopp said.

  “It’s not a physical intensity, it’s a mental intensity. We said we wanted to have three really strong goalkeepers, that’s our situation now. That means you cannot deal with it like you do when you have a clear number three, a clear number two – yes, Simon is a clear number one, but the others are not clear number twos and number threes, they are really strong goalkeepers.”

  Mignolet was handed the gloves at the start of the season, playing in liverpool’s 3-3 Premier League draw at Watford, the 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace and both legs of their 6-2 aggregate Champions League qualifying win over Hoffenheim.

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Source: Gulf Times.

Image: Robert Michael/AFP/Gettyimage.