REVEALED: Teammate Spills the Beans on Conversation That Helped Liverpool Secure Naby Keita

Borussia Monchengladbach winger Ibrahima Traore has shared the conversation he had with compatriot Naby Keita during the summer which helped re-focus the Red Bull Leipzig midfielder's mindset towards securing his dream move to Liverpool. 

The pairing feature alongside one another in the Guinea national football team, and it was the tricky wide man who was on hand to defuse his international teammate's frustrations over the summer when the 22-year-old was involved in a training bust up with fellow RB youth-star Diego Demme. 

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Some claimed the bad challenge, which sparked fury at the club's training centre in Cottaweg, was due to last season's German top flight runners-up's hierarchy refusing to allow their key figure to make the switch to Anfield. 

However, Jurgen Klopp finally secured his man during the recently concluded transfer window, with Keita set to join Liverpool at the beginning of next term for a reported club record fee, believed to be over £50m. 

But that may not have been possible if it were not for the conversation between the Leipzig midfield general and his fellow Guinea international, with Traore offering the advice of hard work and focus, with which the Red Bull hero would then get what he desired. 

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 "He's fantastic, he's a really really good player", the French-born winger told the BBC, as reported by the Liverpool Echo. 

"Everything that has been said about him is true. I have no concern about him because I think he is going to do great [at 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 not good what you are doing because you are still a Leipzig player.

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"'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.'"

Keita has shot to stardom since joining Leipzig from sister club Red Bull Salzburg in 2016 for around £13m, and has been instrumental in the German side's top tier success. 

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After securing the signature of the 22-year-old, Klopp admitted he had received a wave of positive and congratulatory messages surrounding the deal, and international counterpart, Traore, believes he has made the right decision in joining the Reds. 

"He's a good guy and a quiet guy who won't get lost", the 29-year-old added.

"Liverpool is a super team and I think it is the right move he has made."