Naby Keita to Liverpool: RB Leipzig chief criticises star for having his head turned

Keita, 22, is apparently unmotivated in training after committing a "brutal" foul on Diego Demme during a pre-season training camp in Austria. 

RB Leipzig are now supposedly preparing for his exit with the club sending out scouts to find his potential replacement. 

This represents a dramatic U-turn after the club insisted he was not for sale as they are under no pressure to offload their prized asset. 

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has made the midfielder his No 1 transfer target after completing the club-record signing of Mohamed Salah from Roma. 

Liverpool have already had two bids of £57million and £66m rejected by Leipzig for the Guinea international. 

But they are mulling over a third bid of £75m for the former RB Salzburg star. 

And Rangnick has blamed outside influences for swaying players when other clubs show interest in them. 

However, he has reiterated that him and Emil Forsberg, who also wants to leave, will be staying at the club. 

Speaking at a coaching convention, Rangnick said: “There should be someone who points them into the right direction.

“The boys themselves are not the problem here. It is their surroundings.

“A whole village in Guinea or somebody from their entourage tells the players why they must do something right away. I can’t blame the players.”

He added: “I expect them to play for us next season. Both are extraordinary players who make the difference for our team.”

Express Sport understands Keita will have a £48m release clause in his contract next season.