RB Leipzig rule out sale of Liverpool target Naby Keita

RB Leipzig will not sell Naby Keita for any price amid interest in the midfielder from Liverpool, according to reports.

A senior official at the Bundesliga club told Sky Sports that 22-year-old Guinea international would not be sold this summer.

Keita is valued at £70m ($91m) by RB Leipzig. He has a £48m release clause in his contract, although it only comes into effect next summer.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has identified the Guinean as a key target to strengthen his midfield and the Reds are reported to have had three bids rejected for the player.

Keita, who has been likened to Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante, scored eight league goals for RB Leipzig last season to help the club qualify for the Champions League in their first season in the Bundesliga.

Klopp said last week that RB Leipzig were "lucky" that they did not need to sell Keita after the Bundesliga club's owner Dietrich Mateschitz said the midfielder would see out his contract that runs until 2020.

"Mr Mateschitz? What did he say? Lucky man, huh?" the German was quoted as saying by Yahoo Sport.

"They don't have to sell players. When I was at [Borussia] Dortmund we always had to sell players.

"Meanwhile, they don't have to sell players any more so, obviously, I'm always a little bit too late. What can I say? There's nothing to say about this."

RB Leipzig chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff suggested last month that neither Keita nor Swedish winger Emil Forsberg – who has been linked with Arsenal – would be sold for any price this summer.

"It would be irresponsible to let one of our top performers leave now," he told Bild.

"Emil and Naby are extremely talented and promising players. We are glad that we, as a club, are aiding their development and will now be able to prove ourselves in the Champions League."