RB Leipzig would never have sold Naby Keita to Liverpool had it not been for his release clause, the German club have confirmed.

The Reds pulled off something of a transfer coup in agreeing a club-record deal for the sought-after midfielder in the summer.

Keita will move to Anfield next summer after the Reds agreed to pay a premium on top of the 22-year-old's £48m release fee, which comes into effect at the end of this campaign.

And Oliver Mintzlaff, Leipzig's CEO, has admitted that Liverpool's determination to sign the Guinea international caught the Bundesliga outfit by surprise.

"We would have never given Naby Keita away if it had not been for the release clause," Mintzlaff told Kicker magazine.

"When we agreed on the clause, we did not presume that only after a few months there'd be a club willing to pay significantly more."

Keita has enjoyed a mixed campaign in Germany since his move to Merseyside was announced. He was substituted at half time as Leipzig beat Dortmund 3-2 on Saturday, a result which moves them up to third in the table.