[article]Bayern Munich were prepared to close a deal for RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita last month, it has been revealed.
Liverpool eventually clinched an agreement, which will see Keita move to Anfield next summer for a fee of €75m.
Kicker says Bayern were offered the same deal and were keen, however chose to pull back over concerns of leaving Keita with RBL this season.
The risk of injury was too much of a gamble for Bayern management to consider.
Keita is now playing for RBL with his signature on a five-year Liverpool pre-contract to kickoff in 2018.[/article]
[article]Incoming Liverpool signing Naby Keita will be a success at Anfield, according to his international captain Ibrahima Traore.
Keita will join Liverpool next summer after the Premier League club triggered his £48m release clause.
The Guinean midfielder said after proceedings were completed: “I am delighted that an agreement has been reached which will allow me to join Liverpool Football Club next summer, when I will become part of a project that excites me greatly.”
“He’s fantastic, he’s a really really good player,” Traore told BBC World.
“Everything that has been said about him is true.
“I have no concern about him because I think he is going to do great.”
And his international teammate and captain Ibrahima Traore, who has experience facing Keita in the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach, offered his prediction.
“You will go to Liverpool”
“We have a really good relationship, I called Naby during pre-season because I heard he had some issues in Leipzig with some of the players and I know he wasn’t happy with the situation because he wanted to move to Liverpool.
“I told him: ‘This [is] not good what you are doing because you are still a Leipzig player. I understand the situation is not easy, but look what has to happen will happen. You will go to Liverpool, if it’s not this year, it will be next year.
“‘You will go to Liverpool, but in the meantime you have to concentrate and you have to train with Leipzig because this is your team. If they say you don’t go, you don’t go (this year) but you will go to Liverpool because they have shown that they want you.’
“We talked for a long time and he said: ‘Yes, you’re right, I still have to play a season here, so I still have to play good here’.”[/article]