In recent years, Liverpool fans have become largely resigned to the fact that, despite their ability to throw considerable lumps of cash at a player (albeit often not as much as their rivals in Manchester and London), top-class footballers often don't want to move to Anfield. Alexis Sanchez is the most high-profile example of this: Liverpool had cash to burn after the sale of Luis Suarez, but the Chilean preferred to live in London, so he was snaffled by Arsenal. Liverpool ended up with Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert.
This time, however, Virgil Van Dijk decided that he did want to move to Liverpool, only for the club to make a royal mess of the deal, which ended with a public apology to Southampton.
While that was a shambles, Liverpool look set to miss out on another top transfer target, in spite of the player's willingness to move: Naby Keita.
The RB Leipzig midfielder has, apparently, told the club he wishes to leave, per reports by Rafa Honigstein and Ed Malyon of the Independent.
Liverpool are interested in signing him, but it may fall through owing to the price quoted by Leipzig: a frankly mad €80 million.
The Independent report that Liverpool value Keita at around £45 million, meaning there is quite a gap in respective valuations.
Before this all gets too messy. 1) I have been told that Keita wants to go. 2) I believe RBL's €80m or nothing stance is genuine.
— Raphael Honigstein💙 (@honigstein) June 26, 2017
Leipzig's hand was strengthened by the fact that they will be allowed to play Champions League football next season, something which was confirmed late last week, but this is pretty much a deterrent price-tag, and surely Liverpool won't pay it?
