Liverpool want Naby Keita, but he would cost £70 million.
It is claimed Red Bull are only willing to sell the Guinea international if a staggering fee of £70 million is received.
Keita might be worth the money. He is only 22 and is emerging as a real star who can do it all.
Yet if Liverpool did splash out a record figure to sign the dynamic midfielder, it would make a deal done by Everton last summer look even better than it did 12 months ago.
Naby Keita playing for RB Leipzig v Hamburg SV
Everton paid just £7 million to sign Idrissa Gueye from Aston Villa, meeting a release clause in his contract.
Gueye proved to be an excellent addition anchoring Everton’s midfield, playing in 33 Premier League games, 32 of which were starts.
From an attacking perspective Keita is clearly superior. He scored eight goals last season and provided seven assists. Gueye scored one and had one assist. There is no contest there.
Defensively it is a different story. Everton ace Gueye managed 4.1 tackles per game last season in the Premier League, and 2.5 interceptions per game.
Keita’s Bundesliga statistics read at 2.6 tackles per game and 2.6 interceptions.
Everton’s Idrissa Gueye scores a rare goal
Also already proven in English football, the Everton midfielder is accomplished at what he does.
He won’t ever provide the attacking flair Keita demonstrated last season, and is five years older than the Liverpool target.
But for £70 million, are Liverpool really getting 10 times the player Everton have in their midfield?
Ronald Koeman’s impressive deal 12 months ago already looks a real steal.
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