Liverpool to make £70m bid for RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita

Liverpool are set to make a £70m ($90m) bid for Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita with Jurgen Klopp unwilling to take no for an answer in the pursuit. The German has received a massive boost over the news that he is willing to make the trip to Merseyside and dispel any speculation regarding his future.

The Mirror reports that Leipzig have already turned down a £57m ( $74.2m) for Keita and maintained that he is not available for any price. Klopp is said to be "desperate" to land the player and a revised approach will be forthcoming sooner rather than later.

Leipzig have remained adamant that the 22-year-old is simply not for sale, with chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff insisting that it would be "irresponsible" for the club to part with any of their key performers ahead of a maiden foray into the Champions League. The Guinea international has made 31 appearances in the league for the Bundesliga club, scoring eight goals and assisting seven and is generally used as a box-to-box midfielder.

In the Reds squad, he will slot alongside Jordon Henderson or Emre Can and make attacking runs from the back, adding an extra man to the already midfield of Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho and others.

Inter Milan have also reportedly moved in for the player, with reports stating that they are willing to let Keita move back on a season-long loan to Leipzig before transferring to Italy on a permanent basis. However, the report states that sources close to the player have confirmed that his head has been turned by the prospect of playing alongside Klopp, who values Keita dearly and believes he is the missing link in their quest for the title.

Liverpool have broken their transfer record once already this summer with the £36.9m ($47m) addition of former Chelsea winger Salah from AS Roma. England Under-20 World Cup star Dominic Solanke is their only other addition so far this window, with Klopp underlining the need for patience as they attempt to further strengthen their squad ahead of a return to Europe's elite club competition.