RB Leipzig confirm Liverpool had two offers rejected for Naby Keita - but hint at his exit next summer

The Reds had bids of £57m and £66m rejected during a drawn-out saga

RB Leipzig have confirmed that Liverpool submitted two bids for midfielder Naby Keita, both of which were rejected out of hand, but they are resigned to letting his go on the cheap next season.

Keita was the focus of a protracted and ultimately unsuccessful pursuit for much of the summer by Jurgen Klopp, with the Reds seeing bids of £57m and £66m rebuffed by the Bundesliga runners-up.

However, it is understood the Guinean has a release clause of £48m which will be activated next summer and Leipzig’s manager Ralf Rangnick admits it will be difficult to prevent clubs from taking him at the end of the season.

“There were two offers from Liverpool and in between times also a telephone call between the clubs,” Rangnick said. “But not between me and Jurgen Klopp.

“For us, it was always clear that we would not give Naby Keita. That is why there was no direct contact.

“Every club that has sporting ambitious would have done the same as we did.

“But we must weigh it up. If we let Keita go for €70-80m this year, what more would that bring us compared to the sum we would get next year?”

However, with Keita showcasing his talent in the Champions League for the first time this season, Rangnick admitted that sometimes players outgrow their club too quickly and they have to be allowed to move on, hinting at Keita’s exit next summer.

“Sometimes, players develop even faster than the club,” Rangnick added.

“When he plays a season like last year and, if possible, in the Champions League too - then we might be able to let a player join a big club and live with it.”