RB Leipzig training CANCELLED by furious boss after Liverpool target Naby Keita crocks teammate with horror tackle
Bundesliga side's wantaway Guinea star leaves Diego Demme writhing in pain after X-rated tackle
NABY KEITA’S frustration at not being allowed to join Liverpool seemed to boil over on Monday as he left a teammate writhing in pain following a brutal challenge.
The star’s challenge on Diego Demme actually forced RB Leipzig boss Ralph Hasenhuttl to CANCEL the training session.
Jurgen Klopp has been chasing the Guinea international all summer.
The Premier League side have had three bids of up to £60million rejected for the midfield destroyer by the Bundesliga outfit.
Keita, 22, is believed to be desperate to be allowed to move to Anfield – but his club are playing hardball as they attempt to keep hold of their prized-asset.
And his anger at not being allowed to join Liverpool might just have come to the surface at the club’s training camp in Seefeld.
He produced a brutal foul on his colleague towards the end of the session to leave Demme screaming in agony.
The 25-year-old victim was then carried off the pitch with a bandage around his right knee.
Manager Hasenhuttl was said to be seething and called an early end to the practice and ordered the squad back to the hotel.
Of course, there is no suggestion that Keita’s X-rated tackle was intentional and designed to hurt Demme.
But it will do little to ease the tensions between him and his coach.
Leipzig have still yet to confirm the severity of the injury.
Despite the pressure from Liverpool, the German side are determined to hang on to the ace.
Their sporting director Ralf Rangnick said: “We will not leave a regular player in the summer.”
Unless they change their stance then Liverpool will wait until next summer to make their move again.
A clause in his contract stipulates that he can leave for £48m in 12 months time.
Naby Keita - The man Jurgen Klopp wants to bolster Liverpool's midfield
- Keita was born on February 10 1995 in Conakry, Guinea
- The midfielder joined his hometown club aged nine
- He signed for French club FC Istres in 2012 and was promoted to the first-team squad a year later
- Keita scored 11 goals in 23 matches for the Ligue 2 side during his first season of senior football
- Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg signed him in 2014 and he helped them to win a league and cup double
- Last June he switched to Germany and RB Leipzig, scoring seven goals in his debut campaign
- Keita made his international debut for Guinea against Mali in 2014 and has gone on to win 25 caps
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