Liverpool land coup by signing Keita for club record – but he will not arrive until next year

Liverpool have agreed a clubrecord deal of £48million for RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita, who will move to Anfield in a year’s time.

Determined to add quality to his squad, Jurgen Klopp is also trying to secure a high-class midfielder and retains a hope that negotiations for Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk can be revived.

After a relatively quiet period throughout the summer, with Liverpool adding Dominic Solanke, Andrew Robertson and Mohamed Salah, the remaining days of the transfer window could be frantic.

Keita was Klopp’s prime target throughout the close season but he was frustrated in his efforts to secure the 22-year-old ahead of this campaign. However, so determined were Liverpool to get their man, they have agreed a deal which is common in Europe, with the player moving to Anfield in 2018.

It was in the mutual interest of Liverpool and RB Leipzig to act now. Keita has an exit clause of £48 million in his contract which can be triggered in 12 months. Leipzig were prepared to negotiate now to secure an additional premium, taking the fee potentially beyond £50million.

Liverpool were prepared to pay extra to ensure they were not outflanked in the future, with several other clubs circling around the Guinea midfielder.

Barcelona have been linked with the player by Catalan media in recent days, and such is his quality there was a fear that numerous Champions League clubs would enter the race to sign him once they have seen him shine on the biggest European stage.

That makes it a transfer coup for

Liverpool, even if their preference was to recruit the player now.

Keita made it clear to his club he wanted the move, but with the Bundesliga side preparing for the Champions League they were not prepared to let him go this season.

Liverpool made bids of £57million and £66million in an effort to force an immediate sale.

Klopp would have broken a club transfer record by £30million had the last offer been accepted, but the rebuttal of such a staggering sum underlined that the Germans were not bluffing with the public statements insisting there would be no transfer this summer. Instead, Keita has undergone a medical and will become Liverpool’s record signing. It is the second time this summer the Anfield side have broken their transfer record.

Klopp has a considerable kitty available should the right players become available – that has been the case all summer – but it has been a tricky market.

There is still every chance his club’s transfer record will be broken a third time. The Liverpool manager is prepared to spend whatever it takes to sign Van Dijk – a bid of £70million is conceivable. The fear at Anfield remains that Southampton will not invite any offers before Thursday’s deadline. It could be that Liverpool must wait until January or next summer for Van Dijk if Saints stand firm, and the former Celtic centre-half is willing to be patient.

Liverpool are also exploring midfield options, none of which are related to Philippe Coutinho’s future. Coutinho will not be sold under any circumstances in this window, regardless of whether Barcelona launch a fourth bid.

It has been widely anticipated that the Spanish side will make a fresh move and edge closer to £140 million for the 25-year-old, but Liverpool would again reject that offer regardless of how eyewatering it would be.

Coutinho’s retention is seen as a statement and a symbol of the club ethos Liverpool are trying revive – a team who do not allow their best players to leave, especially when on the cusp of an exciting new era in the Champions League.

As with Barcelona’s first approaches, the timing is wrong and the club owner’s public statement underlining its “definitive” stance will not be reversed.