Naby Keita to Liverpool: RB Leipzig eye new deal and plan to remove £48m clause - Williams

Keita, 22, is Jurgen Klopp’s No 1 transfer target after sealing the club-record signing of Mohamed Salah from Roma. 

Liverpool have already had £57million and £66m bids rejected by the Bundesliga side for the Guinea international. 

And they are said to be mulling over a £75m deal for the former RB Salzburg star as they are determined to bring him to Anfield this summer. 

But the chances of signing him appear to be slim with RB Leipzig boss Ralph Hasenhuttl insisting that he will “100 per cent” be staying at the club. 

And journalist Williams has reinforced this by saying the German side have now closed their transfer business window. 

He also reckons that RB Leipzig will look to hand Keita a new deal as they bid to ward off interest in him and convince him to stay. 

Liverpool have also apparently been looking at the prospect of signing the midfielder next summer when his £48m release clause comes into effect. 

But the club are ready to remove this when they offer him fresh terms as they are in a position where they do not need to sell their star players. 

Williams adds that the club will look to potentially revisit the prospect of signing Torino star Yannick Gerhardt in January. 

The AIPSmedia journalist said on Twitter: "#RBL have closed their business window. Yannick Gerhardt will be revisited, potentially in Jan. Also, RB keeping a close eye on Torino star

He added: “#RBL will now look to tie Keita to a new deal, an improvement in wages and no doubt a removal of the clause that has been so talked about.”

Keita made 31 Bundesliga appearances for Leipzig last season and scored eight goals as they finished second behind title winners Bayern Munich.