Transfer Centre

RB Leipzig 'confident of keeping Naby Keita'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 13 March 2017

RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Ragnick says that his club are confident of keeping in-demand midfielder Naby Keita beyond the end of the season.

RB Leipzig have insisted that they can keep in-demand midfielder Naby Keita at the club beyond the end of the 2016-17 campaign.

The 22-year-old joined Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg last summer and has impressed for the Bundesliga side this season, scoring four times in 23 appearances in all competitions.

Bayern Munich and Liverpool have both been linked with moves for the Guinea international, but Leipzig's sporting director Ralf Rangnick has claimed that the German side have no intention of allowing the midfielder to leave.

He told Sport1 Doppelpass: "I don't know anything about Bayern's interest. Naby's an extraordinary player who could play in any European top team. He's still under contract for a long time yet.

"If we qualify for Europe, there's also no reason why Nabi shouldn't play for us next season. I don't know if he'll play for us for three or four more years. No one knows - we can't all look into a crystal ball. But I think it's very likely he'll play for us next season."

Keita, who is tied to a four-year contract at Leipzig, is currently recovering from a suspected circulatory collapse after fainting in the dressing room during his team's 1-0 defeat to Wolfsburg at the weekend.