Liverpool will shelve their interest in Naby Keita until next summer.
A failed £66 million bid was the Reds’ second offer rejected offhand by RB Leipzig, who maintain their refusal to part with the midfielder at all costs.
Unless last season’s Bundesliga runners-up reconsider that stance, Anfield officials are unwilling to sanction any improved approaches for Keita.
Claims that Liverpool were set to return with a final deal worth £75m will not materialise as the Guinea international looks set to stay at Leipzig for another year.
Should no u-turn be forthcoming from the German side, Jurgen Klopp will revive his interest in Keita when his £48m exit clause takes effect in 12 months’ time.
Emre Can could offer an interim stopgap to the 22-year-old as Klopp remains confident that he will commit to a new long-term contract on Merseyside.
Meanwhile Barcelona’s pursuit of Philippe Coutinho remains far from over despite Liverpool’s continued insistance that the playmaker is not for sale at any price.
A £72m offer was rebuffed last week, with Klopp informing the Brazilian on the club’s pre-season tour of Hong Kong that he would not be allowed to leave.
The Liverpool manager revealed after Saturday’s Premier League Asia Trophy victory that Coutinho is still content with life at Anfield.