Naby Keita has revealed the key to his success is to simply tell himself he is "the best" before he steps on to the pitch.

The all-action midfielder will join Liverpool next summer after the Reds struck a deal with current club RB Leipzig back in August.

Keita was made a priority signing for Jurgen Klopp, but Leipzig's refusal to do a deal meant Liverpool could only manage to secure his signature for next season, with a fee believed to be in excess of £50m.

The 22-year-old's rise from the streets of Conakry, Guinea to the brink of a club-record move to Anfield has been a sharp one, and Keita explained how he manages to maintain his consistency.

Naby Keita playing for Leipzig
Naby Keita playing for Leipzig

In a short documentary on the Bundesliga website that was published this week, Keita reflected on his rise to prominence in European football from his humble beginnings in the Guinea capital.

"Out on the pitch, I tell myself: 'I am the best!'" said Keita.

"I need to have that feeling, not just for myself, but to help the whole team.

Guinean midfielder Naby Keita and his teammates celebrates after scoring during German first division Bundesliga football match between Hamburger SV and RB Leipzig in Hamburg on September 8, 2017.
Guinean midfielder Naby Keita and his teammates celebrates after scoring during German first division Bundesliga football match between Hamburger SV and RB Leipzig in Hamburg on September 8, 2017.

"I had a lot of friends in Conakry. In France it was very different. Everyone keeps to themselves there. You should never forget where you come from.

"As kids we just played on the streets and the game didn't stop for oncoming traffic, you needed to have your wits about you."

Keita's mother, Miriam Camara explained how the midfielder was always destined for a life in football.

"One day he just came to me and said: 'Please let me play football! That is my journey,'" she said.

Keita (second from top left) during his amateur days in Guinea (Credit: Private/Bundesliga)

"Naby was a good boy, When he came home he asked me if there was anything to do. If there wasn't he would be straight out to play football.

"We knew he could achieve something. He was doing very well locally and everyone liked him.

"We were even advised to support him financially, but we didn't have the means to do it."

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Keita's debut season in the Bundesliga was enough to convince Klopp to aggressively pursue a deal to bring the African to Anfield, and despite their wait, the midfielder's arrival is eagerly anticipated by the Liverpool fanbase.

The Leipzig star has been described as a mix between N'Golo Kante and Andres Iniesta , and his father, Seydou, said he was certain his son would become a top talent.

He added: "It's a gift he was born with.

"Even when he was a little boy, I knew he was going to be a great footballer one day."