Ibrahima Konate’s future has been a massive talking point for months. The French centre-back has entered the final year of his deal at Anfield and could end up leaving the club after the end of the season. Multiple top clubs are keeping tabs on his situation, as they don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to sign a world-class centre-back for free.
Liverpool are yet to agree a new deal with Ibrahima Konate, but their manager, Slot, has suggested that they are keen on securing the 26-year-old defensive mainstay’s future and are in talks with him over a new deal.
When asked about Konate’s future, Slot said via , “It’s just as good from him as from Virgil [van Dijk]. Ibou has had a very good spell recently. He had a lot of good games earlier in the season but then he was also part of the reason why we conceded a goal.
“His general performances were good but then a small mistake he made immediately led to a goal and so he was judged differently. But he is having a very good partnership with Virgil since I’ve been here and, just like Virgil, he has always been fit. Touch wood. These two are vital for us, not only because of the quality they have but because of the lack of options we have behind.
“We are in talks with him so that tells you what we want. It’s clear we would like him to stay but negotiations are ongoing so let’s see where that ends. We wouldn’t be in negotiations if we didn’t want him to stay.”
Ibrahima Konate made a name for himself at RB Leipzig before joining the Merseyside club in the summer of 2021 in a deal worth £36 million. The Frenchman has only gone from strength to strength since, and he has been a constant feature at the back for them in recent years.
The French centre-back played a massive role in their Premier League triumph last season. While he has been a bit inconsistent this season, the French international remains an integral part of Slot’s plans. The manager is delighted with his performance and wants him to continue at the club.
While Ibrahima Konate has insisted that the Reds are in talks with the player’s camp regarding a new deal, securing his future won’t be that straightforward, as the biggest clubs in Europe are ready to lure him away. Real Madrid are one of the clubs that have been constantly linked with him.
The Spanish giants need more quality at the back, and they would love to sign him for free. Meanwhile, the player could certainly be interested in switching to Los Blancos. As a result, the Reds have their work cut out; they need to convince Konate to put pen to paper in the coming weeks, or they risk losing him for nothing.
