RB Leipzig's Season Finish Could Wind Up Increasing Liverpool's Fee for Naby Keita
Liverpool secured the signature of the highly-rated RB Leipzig star Naby Keita following a summer of heated negotiations, however the Reds could now be forced to pay up to £66m for the midfielder prior to his arrival at Anfield next summer.
The 22-year-old had a £48m release clause that was set to be activated at the end of the season, but after a series of impressive displays which attracted the interest of clubs from across Europe, Liverpool agreed to pay a premium on top of that price to seal his move to Merseyside.
Despite Leipzig having rejected a £66m bid from Liverpool last summer, the Reds could end up paying that fee in 2018 dependent on the finishing position of the German club, as per SportBild.
The condition ensures Keita's premium will rise or fall in relation to Leipzig's finishing position in the Bundesliga. If the club don't finish in a European spot Liverpool will part with £57m. Whereas a finish in a Europa League qualifying position will result in a rise to £62m, and a second successive finish in the top four, with a subsequent place in the Champions League, will increase the fee to £66m.
The Guinea international is also said to have had a clause negotiated in his contract at Liverpool that ensures Leipzig are handed a share of any profits the Reds may make if they sell him in the future.
Leipzig's CEO Oliver Mintzlaff insisted that the fee that the club receive from Liverpool will not all be spent on a replacement, but rather be used to pay back loans they have acquired from their parent company Red Bull.
Mintzlaff said: “It is also clear that we do not always invest everything directly again. We pay back permanently. If we have big revenues, we can repay these liabilities faster.
"With us it is definitely the case that the club gets the transfer. But we do not comment on contract details and numbers."
Keita has played 19 games for Leipzig so far this season, scoring five goals in a campaign that has seen him also receive two red cards.
