Naby Keita is better than Liverpool pair Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, says RB Leipzig sporting director

The midfielder will arrive at Anfield next summer, wearing the No 8 shirt

Keita will wear Steven Gerrard's famous No 8 shirt (Getty)

Incoming Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita is one of the best players Ralf Rangnick has ever worked with the RB Leipzig sporting director admitting he always knew the Reds would win the battle to sign him.

Jurgen Klopp spent the summer trying to sign the Guinean with offers reaching up to £76m before eventually agreeing a £60m fee to take the midfielder at the end of the season, when his release clause would have dropped down to £40m.

Rangnick was one of the key players in keeping Keita at the club for one more season but, despite his and owner Dietrich Mateschitz insisting they were under no financial pressure to sell, he admitted he always knew Liverpool would sign their man.

“He's one of the best I've worked with in 20 years of professional football,” Rangnick, who has worked with the likes of Liverpool pair Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino and Bayern Munich’s David Alaba, told Kicker.

“I’d also prefer, 10 times, that we'd kept him for another five years - but we are just not able to pay salaries in excess of €10m.”