Klopp refuses to comment on Keita frustrations
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Juergen Klopp sidestepped questions about his club's continued frustrations in their attempts to sign Naby Keita from RB Leipzig, after Liverpool handed Crystal Palace a 2-0 defeat in the Premier League Asia Trophy on Wednesday evening.
Liverpool are believed to have had a 66 million pound bid for the Guinea international midfielder turned down by the German side, but Klopp refused to be drawn on reports that his pursuit of Keita is being blocked.
"Sixty-six million turned down today?" Klopp said to reporters. "Are we in Vegas or what? I don't speak about this. Are we in Macau?"
Leipzig owner Dietrich Mateschitz was quoted in the German media claiming his club had refused the bid for the 22-year-old and that Keita is not for sale after impressing for the Bundesliga runners-up last season.
Klopp was able to run the rule over his new signings against Palace, with Dominic Solanke scoring his side's first for the club since joining from Chelsea in a deal worth 3 million pounds.
Solanke signed for Liverpool after struggling to break into the Chelsea first team squad. He moved to Merseyside after being part of the England team that won the FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea in June.
"If a good player is there and you can have him and he costs a little bit but you have to pay it, then that's how it is," said Klopp of the 19-year-old.
"It's a smart move for him and for us. He saw an opportunity at Liverpool and we see it also, and having him around we can see he's a smart player, a really skilled boy and I'm really happy about that.
"You need a little bit of luck and to score in a game like this. He will stay patient, 100 percent and we will help him all we can, and then hopefully in the end everything will be good."
Divock Origi scored Liverpool's second as Klopp's team set up a meeting with Leicester City in the final of the pre-season tournament on Saturday while another new signing, Mohamed Salah, impressed with his pace and direct running.
"It was good," said Klopp of Salah.
"It's nice for everybody to see him on the pitch with the speed, not only with the speed but also with the ball.
"I don't like to talk about individuals and we played as a team today really good. Mo is a very quick player. I was really happy."
(Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Hugh Lawson)