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Liverpool-bound Naby Keita hit with six-figure fine for using 'forged driving licence'

Naby Keita in action during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Freiburg at Red Bull Arena
Image: Naby Keita has been hit with a 'six-figure' fine for allegedly using a forged driving licence

Liverpool-bound Naby Keita has been hit with a "six-figure" fine for allegedly using a forged driving licence.

German daily Bild quote the figure of 415,000 euros (£365,000), due to calculations based on Keita's daily salary, and Leipzig's district court would only confirm to SID, an AFP subsidiary, that the fine is a "six-figure sum".

The 22-year-old, who will join Liverpool for the 2018/19 season, has lodged an appeal against the penalty and should the matter now go to court, the case is likely to be heard in 2018.

Prosecutors in Leipzig accuse Keita of forgery after he allegedly tried to use fake Guinea driving documents to obtain a German licence last December, then again in January.

Naby Keita received his third red card in seven games on Wednesday
Image: Keita received his third red card in seven games last month

Staff at Leipzig's licensing centre became suspicious and handed the documents to police. Forgery experts identified the papers as "total counterfeits", according to Leipzig's district court.

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However, a spokesman for Keita's club RB Leipzig said that "after detailed discussions with the player, we don't assume this is a forgery matter".

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