Liverpool have finally completed the club-record signing of long-term transfer target Naby Keita from Red Bull Leipzig for £48 million, but he won’t officially play for the Reds until July 1st next summer.
The Guinea international central-midfield player will pen a lengthy contract at Anfield after agreeing personal terms. The Reds will pay the German club an undisclosed premium on top of the £48 million release clause they activated to guarantee the transfer a year early.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be delighted to land a player he has craved all summer long, after Leipzig rejected bigger bids from the Merseyside outfit to take the player immediately. At one stage, Liverpool were prepared to pay in excess of £70 million for Keita but they have still broken their club-record by waiting a year for his release clause to come into effect. Rumours in the press believe the undisclosed premium is around £7 million, which means Liverpool have actually saved money by agreeing a deal totaling just £55 million in comparison.
