Pool to sign Keita next season

Liverpool have agreed a club-record fee to sign midfielder Naby Keita from Germany's RB Leipzig, with the 22-year-old set to join the Premier League club in July 2018, British media reported yesterday.

The Merseyside club will pay the Guinea international's £48-million (S$84m) release clause plus an undisclosed premium.

Liverpool are yet to make an official announcement about the deal, but reports said Keita completed a medical yesterday.

Keita was reported to be one of Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp's key transfer targets after he scored eight goals and provided eight assists to help Leipzig finish second in the German Bundesliga last season.

The 22-year-old would become Liverpool's most expensive signing, surpassing the fee of 42 million euros (S$68m) the club paid to sign winger Mohamed Salah from AS Roma in June. - REUTERS