Liverpool reportedly agree £74.5 million deal for world class midfielder

What's the story?

The Express are reporting that Premier League giants Liverpool have agreed a £74.5 million deal with RB Leipzig for their Guinean superstar midfielder Naby Keita. This comes after the surprise team of last season's German Bundesliga rejected outright two earlier bids from the Anfield side for their powerhouse midfielder. This will, by the bye, smash the Red's previous transfer fee record of £38 million - which is the amount they dished out to get the services of Roma, and Egypt, superstar Mohammed Salah

In case you didn't know

The 22-year-old Guinean powerhouse is a proper box-to-box midfielder with that rare combination of an engine that will keep him running all day and a unique footballing brain making him a valuable asset at both ends of the field – his tactical intelligence and sense of positioning can clearly be seen in the way he makes so many interceptions as well as his wide passing range... and indeed in his ability to pop up with crucial goals.

His first senior season was with hometown club Horoya AC before he moved on to France and FC Istres in Ligue 2 (after unsuccessful trials at FC Lorient and Le Mans). In 2014, he joined Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg before he transferred to their German sister club RB Leipzig for just above £12 million.

It was at his first season in one of the bigger leagues in the world that he really caught the attention of the bigger footballing world. In 32 games, he scored 8 goals, provided 7 assists and averaged a quite incredible 2.6 interceptions and 2.6 tackles per game this past season.

The heart of the matter

The reports suggest that in contrast to earlier versions reported by the media, Liverpool are willing to pay the vast majority of the fee upfront: nearly £40 immediately on signing. The reports, though, go on to say that the finer points of the deal have yet to be ironed out and that Leipzig director Ralf Rangnick and co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz will mull over, and decide upon, those in the coming days.

Video

An all-action midfielder, you get the feeling Keita would make the difference for a side challenging for the Premier League title:

Lad can play, let me tell you

Author's Take

Liverpool have had a stellar transfer market so far with the signings of Mohammed Salah and Dominic Solanke appearing to be real coups. They still do, though, lack a certain amount of steel in the middle of the park and with Naby Keita that problem would be addressed rather emphatically.

As N'Golo Kante has shown, it certainly helps to have a powerhouse central midfielder when aiming to go all the way in the League!