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It has all happened so quickly, but in reality, there undoubtedly has been a lot of work behind the scenes to secure a player that Jürgen Klopp was clearly desperate to sign. Naby Keïta has passed his medical and signed a five-year deal effective July 2018, according to the reliable Melissa Reddy of Goal.
The news of a deferred deal has been a shock as RB Leipzig remained determined to keep the midfielder in the knowledge that a release clause of £48 million could be triggered next summer. A deal a year in advance isn’t uncommon in the Bundesliga, but this manner of securing players is quite unusual for a Premier League club. The premium Liverpool will pay in advance secures a unique player ahead of time without any ensuing competition for his signature and provides Leipzig with a bigger fee while still holding onto a considerably talented asset for another season.
It is just a matter of the deal being finalised with all the parties concerned, but Naby Keïta to Liverpool is very close.