RB Leipzig's Naby Keita will only be allowed to join Liverpool at the end of the season, as first agreed. - © © gettyimages
RB Leipzig's Naby Keita will only be allowed to join Liverpool at the end of the season, as first agreed. - © © gettyimages

RB Leipzig head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl: "No reason to let Naby Keita leave for Liverpool early"

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RB Leipzig head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl has debunked media claims that the club are considering selling Naby Keita to Liverpool during the winter transfer window.

Twenty-two-year-old Keita is set to join Liverpool in the summer, but reports in Germany suggested Leipzig might reconsider their position for the right price - especially after the Reds received £142million from the sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona.

"The situation hasn't changed," Hasenhüttl said at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's meeting with second-placed Schalke. "We have always said that there's no reason to let Keita leave early and that's the way it will be.

"Keita will play against Schalke this weekend, and hopefully he'll play well. That's the only thing I'm interested in."

Watch: Naby Keita's top five Bundesliga goals

With eight goals and as many assists in 31 Bundesliga appearances last season, Keita made a telling contribution to Leipzig's debut top-flight campaign, which ended with a runners-up berth and place in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

The Guinea international, who joined Leipzig from Salzburg in summer 2016, has featured 20 times in all competitions so far this term, producing five goals and one assist.

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