Former Liverpool star and pundit Dietmar Hamann has told Sky Sports that he believes Reds target Naby Keita is worth the £70m fee that his club RB Leipzig are demanding for the midfielder.
The Merseyside outfit have been heavily linked with a move for the 22-year-old this summer after he produced a number of eye-catching displays last term to help his team finish second in the Bundesliga and qualify for the Champions League, and German publication Bild says they have had a bid of €65m (approximately £57m) turned down already.
The Guinea international, who can play in a central or defensive midfield role, scored eight goals and provided a further eight assists in the Bundesliga last term, and his club aren’t willing to let him go on the cheap.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp obviously feels that Keita can provide competition and bring quality to a midfield area that already contains the likes of Jordan Henderson and Emre Can, and he certainly would if he can replicate the form he showed last term.
Despite the hefty price tag on his head, Hamann has praised the 22-year-old and believes he is worth £70m in a market of inflated transfer fees having watched him on numerous occasions last season.
The 43-year-old told Sky Sports: “He’s a class player. He links up very, very well. He can play the holding role and the role a bit further forward, which I think is his better position.
“Last season he scored goals and set goals up; but I think he’s best with a good midfielder next to him holding. He links midfield with attack superbly after coming from Salzburg at the start of last season.
“He’s a very capable player. Is £70m too much? If it’s market value, I think we’ve got to get away from people saying a player isn’t worth it, that’s what the prices are like now and that’s it.”
Liverpool have added two new players to their first team squad this summer, with Mohamed Salah and Dominic Solanke joining from AS Roma and Chelsea respectively.
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