Jurgen Klopp relaxed over Liverpool's pursuit of Naby Keita with Philippe Coutinho future assured

Jurgen Klopp remains relaxed amid Liverpool's protracted and complicated pursuit of Naby Keita and reiterates that the club will not lose any of their key players this summer following high-profile interest in Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

Guinea midfielder Keita has emerged as Liverpool's top transfer target following the respective arrivals of Mohamed Salah and Dominic Solanke and an aborted attempt to sign Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk, yet so far RB Leipzig have been unwavering in their firm refusal to sell as they prepare for a maiden foray into the Champions League.

It was reported last week that the Reds had failed with a £57m ($74.2m) offer for the 22-year-old, who made 32 appearances during a successful first season in Saxony following a move from sister club Red Bull Salzburg.

The Mirror subsequently claimed that Liverpool, apparently content to smash their transfer record twice in one summer, were ready to make a new £70m bid for his services amid rival interest from Inter Milan.

Relatively slow progress on the transfer front has triggered anxiety among supporters, although Klopp, supposedly ready to sanction an £8m move for Hull City left-back Andrew Robertson, remains calm and collected with several weeks remaining until the window slams shut.

"Nothing new to say about this [Keita]," he was quoted as saying by Liverpool's official website in Hong Kong, where his side are preparing to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League Asia Trophy. "I cannot clarify anything.

"It is like it is. It's the transfer market, so everything is open until [August] 31. It's the market, you go for things – sometimes they work out, sometimes not. That's how it is. It's nobody's fault, it's like this. I'm still relaxed."

Klopp also spoke positively about the potential of his existing group of players, stressing the importance of keeping influential stars such as Coutinho and insisting that Liverpool had not and would not be forced into selling anyone that they wanted to retain.

"Not only Philippe, but it's a good thing to talk about because in the transfer window, if the world thinks about improving a squad it's all about bringing in new players – nobody thinks that the players could make the next step and it would also be a nice idea," he added.

"Yes, we use the transfer window of course because we have the opportunity. But the main thing I think about is how we can make the next step with the players we had last year. The good news actually is that we didn't lose – and will not lose – a player we want to keep this season. That's very, very good, the best news. Then we can see who we can bring into the squad."