Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has kicked-off the countdown to the transfer window closing on Thursday by agreeing a deal for Keita - but the Red Bull Leipzig star will not move to Anfield until NEXT summer.
Liverpool failed with one recent bid of £70m to sign the Guinea midfielder immediately and it is understood they have agreed to pay a premium on top of the £48m release fee which kicks in next summer .
It is understood the deal will eventually cost around £60m and Keita underwent a medical at Liverpool’s Melwood training centre yesterday .
The deal dwarfs the £39m club record that was set earlier this summer when Mohamed Salah joined from Roma.
But the Keita deal may only be a new record for a matter of hours as Klopp is pressing home his interest in the Monaco winger Lemar.
Monaco turned down three Arsenal bids and manager Arsene Wenger claimed last week that Lemar was not for sale this summer.
So it will come as yet another embarrassment for Wenger, whose side lost 4-0 at Anfield on Sunday, that Liverpool are so confident they can persuade Monaco to sell.
Liverpool have had bids of £55.5m and £65m knocked back but are ready to go beyond £70m for the France star.
Despite the outlay sources at Anfield continue to maintain a deal for Lemar would herald Philippe Coutinho’s departure to Barcelona.
Monaco have suffered from a massive talent drain this summer and are holding out for the maximum possible fee for Lemar, but Liverpool are quietly confident.
Lemar joined up with his France team-mates yesterday but boss Didier Deschamps has indicated it will not be a problem for him to have a medical at their training base in order for Klopp to complete the transfer.
