Gabriele Marcotti: Liverpool could sacrifice Coutinho for Keita
Keita has been a transfer target for Liverpool throughout the summer with bids of £57million and £66m rejected by RB Leipzig.
Reports even suggested Liverpool were willing to pay as much as £70m for the midfield star but the Reds dropped their interest in the player and will now attempt to sign him next summer when his £48m release clause comes into effect.
Hasenhuttl was asked about Keita after his Leipzig side were beaten 1-0 by Sevilla in the Emirates Cup.
He said: "That’s good. The chance [of him leaving] is “null”.
"It is 100 per cent clear that Naby will play this year with Leipzig and at the beginning of the transfer window we said we would start with the same team with all the main players we had last year and that no one will go and that will be our answer now also.
"Everyone can see how important Naby Keita is with our game. Him and [Emil] Forsberg also.
EPA
Naby Keita had been a target for Liverpool
"These are our two most important players on our team so it’s sure he will be with our team next year."
And when told that Liverpool plan on signing Keita in 2018, Hasenhuttl added: "Tell them they will not be the only ones, I think.
"Until next summer we keep it [the door] closed. Then we will have a look."
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