Naby Keita

[VladimirIlyich]

I'm quite surprised Chelsea didnt go for him as hes in the style of a few of their former African midfield/forwards. Seems he's built a bit like Essien with more speed and an eye for goal.

[Numero Veinticinco]

My worry is that he won't live up to the expectation that will inevitably come with being a £70m player. He will be expected to be an incredible player, and although he's clearly good, it's not going to be a Suarez, Messi, Ronald type impact.

[3 Stacks]

My worry is that he won't live up to the expectation that will inevitably come with being a £70m player. He will be expected to be an incredible player, and although he's clearly good, it's not going to be a Suarez, Messi, Ronald type impact.

 

It would be like Pogba. Even if most of the performances are good, if he doesn't regularly swing games he'll get criticized. People don't know how to evaluate midfielders. Modric was the flop of the year in La Liga the year he signed. Now everyone's sucking his dick. 

[moof]

In fairness, Pogba was criticised for finding the touch line with a pass more often than his teammates, and generally being pretty embarrassingly shite.

[3 Stacks]

In fairness, Pogba was criticised for finding the touch line with a pass more often than his teammates, and generally being pretty embarrassingly shite.

 

Pogba hit the post about 10 times last season. If things went his way more, people would have looked at him much differently. But it's all about the result, not the overall outlook which is why Keita will most likely get criticized as well unless he scores like 15 goals or defends like Kante right away. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

I think he has a point about evaluating midfielders though. We have had an issue there for a long time - probably since Mascherano left - and it causes a lot of our defensive issues. It also hinders us from turning defence into attack. I think Keita can help with all of the above, but he'll need to be given some time to find his feet.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Pogba looked worse than he arguably was, because he was playing in a side that was absolute eye aids to watch. Keita will be walking into a high intensity midfield and have Salah, Mané and Firmino in front of him; that's almost tailor made for his talents. He's got a far better chance of hitting the ground running and avoiding the usually inevitable questions about value for the fee.

[Lee909]

Pogba will cone good sadly. He's a bad bellend hence he fits them perfectly but he was top class at Juve

[Unrighteous]

Pogba will cone good sadly. He's a bad bellend hence he fits them perfectly but he was top class at Juve

 

I dunno... He's got all the skills, really, but Shitcoat doesn't like taking the shackles off a midfield player, really.

[Jairzinho]

All they need is to sign Vidal and whoever the closest player to being like Pirlo is.

[an tha]

Sky article saying there are rumours that man city have been in touch with keita's representatives....

[Paco]

Pogba hit the post about 10 times last season. If things went his way more, people would have looked at him much differently. But it's all about the result, not the overall outlook which is why Keita will most likely get criticized as well unless he scores like 15 goals or defends like Kante right away.

Suarez hit the post a lot in his first few seasons.

 

Watch out for pogba.

[El Dangerous]

The only thing worse than signing this guy will be not signing him.

We're fucking shite either way.

[Numero Veinticinco]

Sky article saying there are rumours that man city have been in touch with keita's representatives....

And there's the kick in the ribs we needed!

[jimmycase]

And there's the kick in the ribs we needed!

 

Inter were making noises before city. If people think Leipzig wont sell to us for £100m why are they concerned city will get a deal done for £100m?

[BCM]

Inter were making noises before city. If people think Leipzig wont sell to us for £100m why are they concerned city will get a deal done for £100m?

We havent offered 100 million. We have offered 54 million roughly. If city offer them 100 million he will be in a blue shirt next week.

[Jose Jones]

I am under the impression that this is moving, rather slowly, in our direction. Keita has told Leipzig he wants to join us, we have made a sizeable bid that was turned down, but noises from Germany suggest that a larger bid may be accepted. Reliable English journos state we will be going back in with a bigger bid early next week.

If that's not enough some TV show in Guinea had a report that the transfer is almost dagreed. Never doubt the Guinean television reports.

[joe_fishfish]

We havent offered 100 million. We have offered 54 million roughly. If city offer them 100 million he will be in a blue shirt next week.

If City really are involved he is a City player already.

[Wezza]

If City really are involved he is a City player already.

 

Or it could just be an attempt by Leipzig to push the price up.

[joe_fishfish]

Yep absolutely, that's what I'm hoping for to be honest. On one hand it might be true, he's an enormous upgrade on Toure and Fernandinho. But on the other hand why wouldn't they have targeted him before the likes of Bernardo Silva and Kyle Walker? Dunno what to think to be honest.

[Paco]

Some German magazine called kicker saying he accepts he's staying

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

FM Man City come in, RBL ask for 100m City say certainly, here's 120m, keep the change.

 

Managerial genius and a club honestly run by good footballing people. Had to say that or I might be forcibly detained and or disappeared and tortured.

 

That said if Donald Trump wants to invest in the club and gives us 500m for players I say this.

Welcome to the club The Donald.

[setreal]

Some German magazine called kicker saying he accepts he's staying

 

Hasenhüttl: Keita und Forsberg fühlen sich "superwohl"

 

Naby Keita und Emil Forsberg wollten im Sommer unbedingt weg aus Leipzig, RB lehnte aber schwindelerregende Angebote ab. Wie gehen die beiden Leistungsträger mit dem kategorischen "Nein" um? Trainer Ralph Hasenhüttl sieht überhaupt keine Probleme.

 

Seit Donnerstag sind Naby Keita (22) und Emil Forsberg (25) wieder im Training bei RB Leipzig, und das offenbar alles andere als widerwillig. "Man merkt ihnen an, dass sie sich superwohl fühlen und sich auf die neue Saison freuen", berichtet Trainer Ralph Hasenhüttl im kicker. "Sie wissen sehr wohl, was sie an uns haben."

 

Und doch hätten beide das gerne hinter sich gelassen: Keita und Forsberg forcierten einen Wechsel - doch RB sagte kategorisch Nein. Sportdirektor Ralf Rangnick, derzeit im Urlaub, lehnte selbst das rund 68 Millionen Euro schwere Angebot des FC Liverpool ab, wiederholte dabei noch einmal, dass es "keine Schmerzgrenze" gebe, man sich jegliche weiteren Offerten sparen könne.

 

Gleiches gilt für Forsberg, der vom AC Mailand schwärmt und dessen Berater Hasan Cetinkaya lange mit aller Macht um einen Transfer gekämpft hatte. Allerdings gab es nach kicker-Informationen bis heute kein Angebot für den Schweden an RB.

 

"Unser Ziel ist es, ein großer und etablierter Verein zu werden"

 

"Es ist ein Riesenkompliment für uns, dass wir solche Begehrlichkeiten geweckt haben", findet Hasenhüttl. "Aber es ist nicht Sinn und Zweck unseres Weges, unsere Spieler bei den erstbesten Angeboten ziehen zu lassen." Sondern: "Unser Ziel ist es, ein großer und etablierter Verein zu werden. Und da ist das, was wir in diesem Sommer gemacht haben, ein bedeutender Schritt dahin."

 

Im nächsten Sommer sieht das womöglich anders aus: Keita, erst 2016 aus Salzburg gekommen, kann dann per stattliche Ausstiegsklausel von 55 Millionen Euro vorzeitig aus seinem bis 2020 laufenden Kontrakt aussteigen - Forsberg nicht. Als der im Februar bis 2022 verlängerte ("Ich fühle mich hier absolut richtig und wertgeschätzt und möchte mit RB Leipzig noch vieles erreichen"), ließ Berater Cetinkaya kein Ausstiegsszenario einbauen. Leipzig kann bei Forsberg also noch länger Nein sagen.

 

http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/startseite/701809/artikel_hasenhuettl_keita-und-forsberg-fuehlen-sich-superwohl.html

[Skrtel Milk]

RB Leipzig have told Liverpool that Naby Keita is not for sale at any price after turning down a €68 million bid last week, a source has told ESPN FC.

Earlier this summer, German media had quoted an unofficial price tag of €80m (£70m) for Keita and Liverpool are reported to be planning to meet that valuation, but Leipzig insist that there is "no figure" that could sway their minds on the 22-year-old Guinea international.

 

"We will not enter into negotiations at all," a club source told ESPN FC. "A decision has been made that none of our key players will be sold and we're sticking to it."

RB sporting director Ralf Rangnick is determined that Leipzig give a good account of themselves in the Champions League and challenge Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga in the coming season.

The club's head coach, Ralph Hasenhuttl, has said Keita and Emil Forsberg "feel great" at the Bundesliga club despite continued speculation over their futures.

 

"You can see that they feel great here and are looking forward to the new season," Hasenhuttl told kicker after the pair returned to training. "They know very well what they have here.

"It's a huge compliment for us that we awoke such desires, but it's not the general idea of our path to allow players a transfer following the first available offer. Our goal is to become a big and established club, and what we did this summer is a substantial step towards it."

 

Privately, Leipzig are aware that Keita's representative may to attempt a final push for a move in coming weeks, but last season's Bundesliga runners-up remain determined to rebuff any further approaches.

Keita, however, might yet become a Liverpool player in 2018 as a release clause in his contract would allow him to leave in 12 months' time for €55m.

However, kicker reported Forsberg has no such clause in his deal, which he only signed in February.

 

ESPN FC's Germany correspondent, Stephan Uersfeld, contributed to this report.

Raphael Honigstein is ESPN FC's German football expert and a regular guest on ESPN FC TV. He also writes for the Guardian. Twitter: @honigstein.

http://www.espnfc.com/story/3159152/naby-keita-and-emil-forsberg-feel-great-here-rb-leipzig-boss-ralph-hasenhuttl

[eeyore]

Well fucking done yet again Liverpool cunting fc