Liverpool have agreed to sign Guinean midfielder Naby Keita from RB Leipzig in a club-record deal next year, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
Several news outlets, including the BBC, Times and the Guardian, earlier reported that Liverpool agreed to pay a £48 million release clause to sign the 22-year-old.
“Liverpool Football Club can confirm they have reached an agreement with RB Leipzig for the future transfer of Naby Keita,” read the Liverpool statement.
{{/usCountry}}“Liverpool Football Club can confirm they have reached an agreement with RB Leipzig for the future transfer of Naby Keita,” read the Liverpool statement.
{{/usCountry}}An athletic box-to-box midfielder, Naby Keita has been a longstanding target for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
He began his career with Horoya in his home city of Conakry and spent a season at French second-tier side Istres before joining Red Bull Salzburg in 2014.
Salzburg sold him to their German sister club RB Leipzig in June last year.
Jurgen Klopp has signed Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah, Scottish left-back Andy Robertson and English striker Dominic Solanke during the current transfer window.
Liverpool’s 4-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday left them second in the Premier League table, two points below Manchester United.
(With inputs from Agence France-Presse)