Liverpool haven’t been afraid to flaunt about their money this summer.

The Reds have had some busy transfer windows in recent years but have never been a club to go overboard with their spending. Jurgen Klopp had, until recently, been a guardian of that very philosophy.

A record breaking transfer for Mohamed Salah later and it seems the club is being a little more liberal with its money.

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One of the biggest stories of the summer has been Liverpool’s chase of Naby Keita and the fees involved are simply lucrative. The club have already had a dizzying £66 million bid rejected for the 22-year-old this month.

The Guinean midfielder was RB Leipzig’s star performer in the club’s sensational rise to second in the Bundesliga and their upcoming Champions League bow. He is seen as one of the hottest prospects in his position in Europe.

Consequently, Liverpool aren’t going to end their pursuit so easily and, according to the Independent, are plotting a third and final bid for Keita.

The £75 million bid would proceed the previous offers of £57.3m and the aforementioned approach of £66m. Moreover, crucially, it would see £40m paid to Leipzig up front.

It really will prove the final roll of the dice for the Reds and the comments of Leipzig’s owner Dietrich Mateshitz have revealed exactly why the saga has proven so difficult.

Speaking to SportBILD, he revealed: “We don’t sell any of our players just to get money. Lately we got a €75m offer for Naby Keita. No way!

“He has a contract and he will fulfil it. To sell him would not only be a proof of distrust to our fans but also the wrong sign for our players like Timo Werner, who is in demand too.”

If the owner is true to his word, an extra couple of million will do Liverpool no favours in their hunt for the 22-year-old.

In addition, German sources close to the situation have seconded this, reiterating the role of principal as opposed to currency. Leipzig are, after all, newly finding their feet in top class and European football.

This is in spite of the fact that Keita’s contract would allow him to leave for a comparatively tidy £48 million next summer. Therefore, in offering a mark-up of 56%, Liverpool hope that their third approach will prompt Leipzig to buckle.

So, strap yourselves in Kopites. Either your chase for Keita will remain as doomed as when it first started or the Guinean will sign for double their current transfer record.
Either way, there’s pressure for somebody.

Do you think Naby Keita is worth £75 million to Liverpool? Let us know by leaving a comment below.