Former RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate has revealed Jurgen Klopp’s role in convincing him to join Liverpool in the summer.
During an interview with Canal+, as cited by Sport Witness, Ibrahima Konate spoke at length about his decision to join Liverpool in the summer. The defender has hailed the club and their rich history and culture while revealing Jurgen Klopp’s impact in convincing him to switch to the Merseyside.
Konate had made the headlines a few months ago when he surprisingly became Liverpool’s only signing of the summer transfer window. It was a risky move by the club, who had endured a difficult 2020/21 campaign marred by injuries and lack of consistency from key players.
The Reds even ended up losing Gini Wijnaldum to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. But instead of signing a replacement, the Merseyside giants persisted with the lone signing Konate, who joined from RB Leipzig for a fee of around €40 million.
The Frenchman explained his decision to move to Liverpool in a recent interview with Canal+. “When you arrive in such a club, you do so with a bit of apprehension, but if there’s a club ready to put such an amount on you, and the manager is talking to you, making you understand he wants you,” he said.
Konate went on to hail Jurgen Klopp for his good communication with the player, crediting him for his decision to join the Reds. “Jürgen Klopp is, I think, one of the best managers in the world. We spoke a lot on the phone. I asked him personal questions, he did too.
“What I really felt was a trust, and I felt this club was really a mythical club, different from the others, and I felt myself being here even before I’d signed, so all this is why I took the decision to come to this club”, he said.
Three months into the new season, Konate is yet to become the first-choice option for Liverpool. But he has shown promising signs, notably starring in the 5-0 win over Manchester United last month.
The Frenchman insists that he is now looking forward to the remainder of the campaign and will try everything he can to become a first-team regular at the Merseyside. “I told myself that if I come to Liverpool, yes it’s another level, but I trust my abilities, so I’m going to do everything to earn my spot, whether it be short-term or long-term,” he added.