Liverpool round-up: Final Keita bid considered; Klopp holds Coutinho talks; Gomez going nowhere

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Liverpool could launch a final £75 million bid in their pursuit of midfielder Naby Keita, say the Independent. Red Bull Leipzig have so far stood firm in their determination not to sell their key central midfielder and clearly have no intention of changing their stance. They have already rejected two bids worth £56 million and £66 million.

Now, it seems that the Reds could make one final push for the 22-year-old, who is top of Jurgen Klopp’s list of targets. Whether or not it will be enough to convince the Bundesliga side is unclear, though it does seem unlikely that even more than double a Liverpool club record fee would be enough to persuade them.

A similar fee, of £72 million, is how much Barcelona are rumoured to have bid for Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho. However, the Times say that Jurgen Klopp met with the Brazilian on Friday night in order to tell the number ten that he would not be allowed to leave Anfield this summer.

Coutinho does seem to be happy on Merseyside and has shown no indication that he may push for a move away from the club. The lure of the Spanish giants may prove to test his loyalty to the Reds, but he can be guaranteed a key role under Klopp if he remains a Liverpool player.

Another player desperate to remain at the club is defender Joe Gomez. Linked with a loan move to newly promoted Brighton & Hove Albion, Gomez told the Liverpool Echo that he wants to continue his rehabilitation and development at Anfield after over a year sidelined by injuries. He said:

“My main aim is to play here for Liverpool and under this manager. My target is to get regular football and I want to play at the top level and that’s what I am focused on at the moment. I feel 100%. I know that this pre-season is a big opportunity for me to hit the ground running again.”

The former Charlton man has made a strong impression in pre-season so far after featuring in a handful of cup games in 2016/17. Now feeling fully fit, Gomez will be looking to compete with the likes of Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan for a regular starting spot in the team.

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