Liverpool have declined to submit a third bid for Naby Keita - and will cool their interest in the midfielder until next summer.

The Reds' second bid of £66m was entered almost two weeks ago and rejected by the Guinean's club RB Leipzig.

Liverpool had expected that second bid would lead to a breakthrough in negotiations but the ECHO understands that rejection convinced the club that the Bundesliga runners-up would maintain their stance of refusing to countenance the sale of the 22-year-old.

Jurgen Klopp met with LFC sporting director Michael Edwards when he returned from Liverpool's Hong Kong camp and the Reds have not been actively pursuing Keita's signature in recent days, with Klopp planning without his arrival.

(Image: ROBERT MICHAEL/AFP/Getty Images)

A last ray of hope for Reds' fans hoping to see Keita at Anfield next season would come if the Bundesliga outfit had a change of heart and decided to cash in on the player.

There has been tension surrounding Keita this week, with the player forcing Leipzig training to be abandoned on Monday after a reckless challenge on teammate Diego Demme.

Naby Keita 2016/17 Stats

Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangwick has also irritated Keita's camp with comments about how a "whole village" in Guinea was trying to push for the transfer to go through.

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Barring that change of heart though, Liverpool will accept that Keita is staying in the Bundesliga for now and will refresh their interest next summer when it is believed he can move for his release clause of £48m.