? KEITA IN TRAINING GROUND BUST UP | #LFC DAILY NEWS

Chris brings you today’s Liverpool news including Naby Keita being involved in a training ground bust-up, Van Dijk has been omitted from Southampton’s pre-season squad and rumours roll on about Emre Can and whether he will leave the Reds before this season starts. In what can only be described as having been a seemingly turbulent day for both of Liverpool’s top targets, Naby Keita and Virgil Van Dijk, both players have hit the headlines in the most contrasting circumstances. Following rumours coming out of Southampton last week of Virgil van Dijk training alone, the Dutchman was yesterday pictured in Disneyland Paris which, perhaps one should start by saying, was not a scheduled stop on Southampton’s tour of France this summer to my knowledge! Further to this, it has emerged that the highly rated centre-back, who has been trailed by the Reds all summer, has now been omitted from Southampton’s 25 man first team squad for preseason, in an encouraging sign for Jurgen Klopp who has identified van Dijk as the player to arrest Liverpool’s defensive woes. The unsettled 25 year old is trying to force at move away from the South coast and it would seem as though his days at St Mary’s are beginning to look increasingly numbered which will be music to the ears of all Reds. As has seemed to be the theme of the day, Liverpool’s other top summer target, Naby Keita has been involved in a training ground bust up following what he considered to be an “over-the-top challenge” from RB Leipzig teammate Diego Demme to which he reacted by showing his frustration by, reportedly “mauling” his opposite number, according to Bild and Kicker. If anyone ever needed a sign that a player is unsettled! Seemingly Keita has half his thoughts on passing his medical at Melwood! Liverpool have so far been repeatedly frustrated in their efforts to sign the 22 year old Guinean, having seen a succession of bids up to the value of £66m rejected by the East German club. The Red-Bull owned outfit have remained insistent that the midfielder is not for sale and have so far played hsrd ball over the deal to bring him to Anfield. Reds chiefs initially tabled a bid believed to be in the region of £57m for the Guinean and have subsequently had a further two bids turned down, Sky Sports have reported. It is believed that the Reds do not intend to bid another time, with the £66m they offered Liepzig on Friday all Jurgen Klopp is willing to part with for the player who will be available for £48m next summer, when it is believed the German will return for the 22 year old’s services. The Liverpool Echo have speculated that if no alternatives are found for Kieta, the Reds may return with one final bid towards the end of the window but signs have suggested that RB Leipzig are simply unwilling to part with their prized asset. This said, in a confusing development, Guinean journalist Amadou Makadji has asserted on Twitter today that the German club have yet to respond to Liverpool’s third and final offer. The madness of the most protracted transfer saga of this summer refuses to settle down, it seems! And finally, in a more encouraging piece of news that has emerged today, Jurgen Klopp, who also yesterday denied reports that Philippe Coutinho, will depart Merseyside this summer, has also insisted that Emre Can will stay at Anfield this summer, the Daily Mail reports. This despite news from Italian newspaper Tuttosport to the effect that Turin giants Juventus were readying a £30m bid for the youngster who has only one year left on his current contract. The former Bayer Leverkusen man has been stalling over a new deal but Jurgen Klopp remains confident that, contrary to reports, Can will remain at Liverpool following “good talks” regarding his future in the past week. Klopp said “Emre is an important player for us” insisting “we don’t want to sell or lose players who are first in line or close to it” asserting “we want to keep him”, which should go some way to allay any fears fans of the Anfield club may have. Hopefully that’s the last we hear on the subject, although given that Javier Mascherano, Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez, to name but a few, were all once “not for sale”, I wouldn’t bank on it just yet, I’m afraid!