Liverpool tipped to emulate Keita transfer with Pulisic

The Reds caused a stir when sealing Keita's signing 12 months in advance of his actual arrival, allowing him to remain at RB Leipzig for the 2017-18 in other to secure his signature.

Speculation has mounted over Christian Pulisic's future at Borussia Dortmund, with suggestions the Bundesliga club will seek to sell him next summer if he fails to pen a new deal, with his existing one expiring in 2020.

Jurgen Klopp is a public admirer of the American teenager and tried to bring him to Anfield in 2016, only for the club's bid to be rejected.

German journalist Raphael Honigstein, who also penned excellent Klopp biography 'Bring the Noise', has spoken about the 19-year-old's current situation at Dortmund.

And he believes Liverpool - who has lauds as 'very smart' with their transfer activity recently - could seek to agree a deal in advance for the youngster.

"If things don't change in terms of extending his contract is concerned, then he will then definitely be sold in the summer of 2019," Honigstein told ESPN. "That puts it into an interesting context because if you know there's a club now, you wouldn't force a deal through this summer, you could say 'how about next summer?'.

"I think Liverpool, who have been very smart in recent years, could do almost 'a Keita' and say, you know what, next summer, Dortmund have to sell you. Why don't you come to us then?

"We'll do a do a deal now... of course it's not strictly legal (laugh) so you have to keep it quiet, but it's being done all the time in football, and that's a very realistic scenario."

Speaking in Charlotte last month, ahead of Borussia Dortmund's 3-1 pre-season win over Liverpool which was inspired by the forward, Klopp refused to rule out a future move.

When asked about the chances of the US international joining Liverpool, Klopp said: "He has a contract at Dortmund, no? That’s the first problem.

"I like Christian, I've known him since he was a kid. He's still not really old, he’s a fantastic player, and it’s deserved people think highly of him in America. In Germany it’s the same.

"If he wants to play in England or whatever one day then for sure he has the chance to do so but he’s at a really good club for his development at this moment. It's really good to be at a club where they know him already.

"He had not his best season last year but he was still a decisive player but it’s important in that age group that there’s no rush. He still has 14 or 15 years to play in his career and that’s good and he wants to be the best Pulisic he can be. For this, there is still space for development.

"If - at one point - he will join us, I don't know.

"I like him, it's not that that could be the problem, but we respect contracts still and there’s no market I know about at the moment. We did our business and Dortmund are doing theirs. All good."

Source: Liverpool Echo

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