RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick has said the club could not give Naby Keita a salary that would have convinced him not to join Liverpool.
Guinea international Keita will move to Anfield for €55 million, the release fee in his contract, next summer.
He will leave the Bundesliga club after only two seasons, and Rangnick told kicker: “He’s one of the best I’ve worked with in 20 years of professional football.
“I’d also prefer, 10 times, that we’d kept him for another five years — but we are just not able to pay salaries in excess of €10m.”
Meanwhile, Leipzig attacker Timo Werner told Sky he would not want to abandon his childhood dream of moving to the Premier League.
“As a young boy you always dreamt of that one big club you want to play for one day,” he said.
“Back then, it was Manchester United under Alex Ferguson. They always won and, as a small boy, you always support those who win.”
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