Liverpool’s hopes of signing one of their major transfer targets this season might have taken a big hit after a recent UEFA statement. We have been in the market for a quality defensive midfielder and Naby Keita is one of the players that Jurgen Klopp wants at Anfield next season.

The Liverpool Echo reports that we might have to pay €50 million for the Guinea midfielder to lure him away from RB Leipzig where he had a stellar season.

The 22-year-old played a huge role in Leipzig finishing second in the Bundesliga and qualifying for the Champions League. However, their participation in the competition was thrown in doubt as Red Bull also own Austrian club RB Salzburg, who won their respective league title last season.

It was expected that due to the dual ownership, UEFA would only allow one club, Salzburg to play in the competition as they finished higher in their competition, picking up the league title. That would have been enough for Keita and a number of other players to take a decision to leave the German side but UEFA has now added that both clubs can play in the competition.

A statement from the governing body read (Liverpool Echo):

“The adjudicatory chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) has decided to accept the admission of both FC Salzburg and RB Leipzig to the UEFA Champions League 2017/18, having found that Article 5 (Integrity of the competition) of the competition regulations is not breached.

“Following a thorough investigation, and further to several important governance and structural changes made by the clubs (regarding corporate matters, financing, personnel, sponsorship arrangements, etc.), the CFCB deemed that no individual or legal entity had anymore a decisive influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition.

“This decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 10 days…

“The CFCB will continue to monitor both clubs to ensure that integrity rules are respected going forward.”

The statement more or less ensures that Keita will not be leaving Leipzig, at least for the lack of Champions League football and we would have to search for another target who is willing to join us.

The 22-year-old could have solved a lot of problems for us, and has often been compared to N’Golo Kante but the Leipzig man does have an eye for goal. It isn’t all doom and gloom yet and should we throw in a crazy bid, the Bundesliga side might relent and let go of their star.

But for now, Keita doesn’t seem to be a deal that will take place this season as he looks to take Leipzig to the top of the Bundesliga tree.