Liverpool handed boost as RB Leipzig concede Naby Keita is unlikely to sign contract extension

The 22-year-old has a release clause which becomes active at the end of next season with the club eager to tie him down to a fresh deal and subsequently remove it

Naby Keita is one of Jurgen Klopp's number one targets this summer (Getty )

Liverpool's hopes of signing Naby Keita have been boosted once again with RB Leipzig conceding their star midfielder is unlikely to sign a new contract with the club.

The Guinea international midfielder is Jurgen Klopp's top summer target and the Reds manager has seen a number of bids turned down with the upwardly mobile Bundesliga club refusing to countenance a sale this summer.

The 22-year-old has a release clause which becomes active at the end of next season with suggestions abound that the club were eager to tie Keita down to a fresh deal and subsequently remove the clause.

But sporting director Ralf Rangnick says that despite a willingness from his side Keita is unlikely to agree to any kind of extension.

"I am not currently assuming that we will be able to extend his contract prematurely," he said. "I can assure you that Naby will be playing with us this season. All other scenarios also depend on how we do this season, how Naby plays himself and so on."

The clause, understood to be in the region of £48m, could see Keita leave the club for a significantly lower sum in a year's sum but Rangnick remains adamant his prized asset won't leave, regardless of the size of any offer.

"It does not matter at all whether it's £67m or £90m," he added. "We have not developed for five years so that we can lose one of our best players in the first Champions League season.

"That would make no sense. We want to be successful in sports."

At the weekend boss Ralph Hasenhuttl reiterated the club's stance that Keita would not be sold.

“Until next summer we keep it closed and then we have a look,” Hasenhüttl added. “I said for all the players it is very important to stay together as it’s the first time we play Champions League and that is a new situation for every one of us.

"We have very young players and I think for them it is very important to play the first year in the Champions League as a team. We will learn this very much again this year.

“Keïta is more focused on us and has more fun now than last year. He knows this season will be fantastic for us. To play Champions League for Naby Keïta is a great thing.”