Liverpool target Naby Keita hints at interest in future Manchester City switch

Naby Keita says he one day hopes to play for one of European football's biggest clubs, listing Manchester City and not Liverpool in that category alongside La Liga behemoths Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Keita, along with teammate Timo Werner, is firmly on Jurgen Klopp's radar after a fine 2016-17 season in which he helped newly-promoted RB Leipzig to achieve an impressive second-place finish in their very first season in the Bundesliga.

The German outfit have been adamant that the likes of Keita and Swedish winger Emil Forsberg will not be sold despite mounting interest, with chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff recently declaring that it would be "irresponsible" to sanction the sales of any top performers before a maiden foray into the Champions League.

However, The Guardian reported earlier this week that the Guinea international could be allowed to move on for a huge fee in the region of £70m ($90m) having apparently indicated his desire to leave if such a valuation is met.

It was subsequently stated that Liverpool were pondering a deal worth up to £50m.

Speaking during a recent interview with German newspaper Die Welt, Keita revealed that he was contacted by Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Southampton last summer before opting to join Leipzig from sister club Red Bull Salzburg.

The 22-year-old supposedly felt it was too early to join a club of that stature, although hopes that in a couple of years he will be able to successfully make the transition.

"I hope, however, that I have the level in two, three years and could play for one of the very big clubs," he added. "This includes Barcelona, but it also includes Real Madrid or Manchester City."

Liverpool supporters are likely to be concerned by their club's absence from that aforementioned list coupled with the inclusion of Premier League rivals Manchester City. The Reds have completed two signings so far this summer, acquiring Egypt winger Mohamed Salah from AS Roma in a club-record €39m deal and agreeing terms with teenage Chelsea forward Dominic Solanke.

Hope still abounds that their aborted pursuit of Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk is not quite over yet, while the likes of AS Monaco wonderkid Kylian Mbappe and Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are also targets for Klopp as he prepares his squad for a return to Europe's elite club competition.