Liverpool were looking to bring in RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita in this January transfer window but the Bundesliga club is adamant to keep hold of their star player until the end of the season, The Reds already have a deal in place to sign the Guinean midfielder but he would only arrive at Anfield in the summer. However, Jurgen Klopp’s side are keen to recruit Keita in this transfer period to bolster their midfield options going into the second half of the season following Phillipe Coutinho’s departure to Barcelona for £142m earlier this month.
According to recent reports, the Bundesliga club insists that the 22-year-old will remain at the club until the end of the current campaign. The Guinean international has scored 6 goals and bagged an assist in 21 matches for RB Leipzig this season.
With RB Leipzig’s refusal to part ways with their prized asset, let’s look at three alternative options for the Merseysiders to consider.
Leon Goretzka
The Schalke 04 midfielder is out of contract in the summer and has been gathering interest from a whole host of clubs in Europe. The 22-year-old can be signed on a cut-price deal this month and the Reds can look to bring him in from the Bundesliga. He has scored 4 goals and made one assist in 12 matches for Schalke 04 this season. The German will definitely add a lot of quality to Jurgen Klopp’s midfield if the Merseyside club decides to opt for his services this month.
Max Meyer
Another Schalke 04 midfielder who has just six months remaining on his contract. Although not as attacking minded as Goretzka, Meyer is currently being deployed in the holding midfield role for the Bundesliga club this season and the German has put in some eye-catching displays at the heart of the Schalke midfield. Liverpool can look to recruit him this month for a reduced fee as he will add some much-needed stability to their midfield. The 22-year-old also possesses the ability to shield the backline which is exactly what’s required at Anfield.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
The Serbian international has been in sensational form for SS Lazio this season and has impressed a lot with his performances in the Serie A. He has featured regularly for the Italian club and has scored 7 goals and provided 5 assists in 25 matches across all competitions this term. A possible move for the 22-year-old in January could turn out to be very productive for the Reds in their quest to finish in the top 4 and mount a challenge in the Champions League this season.
