Liverpool are set to prioritise a contract renewal for Ibrahima Konate as they are eager to avoid an unwanted situation with the Frenchman.
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are keen to keep hold of Ibrahima Konate and are prioritising a contract renewal for the French defender. The 25-year-old is set to enter the final year of his deal at Anfield, but the Reds are keen to avoid a situation akin to that of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Liverpool announced a new contract for Mohamed Salah last week, and Virgil van Dijk could now follow the Egyptian in committing his future to the club. While they have been able to keep hold of the duo, the club are about to lose Trent Alexander-Arnold as a free agent, with Real Madrid expected to be the right-back’s next destination.
As the Reds maneuver through the situations of those players with expiring contracts, Liverpool are ready to shift their focus to other stars such as Ibrahima Konate. The Frenchman, who joined the club in a £35 million deal from RB Leipzig back in 2021, has grown from a promising young star to a serious defender at Anfield.
Liverpool are working on extensions for a few key stars including Ibrahima Konate, and director Richard Huges is now set to prioritise a new deal for the £35 million star. They have not made much progress in talks as of now, but they are ready to accelerate the process and keep hold of the France international for the long-term future.
Liverpool are eager to avoid a situation akin to that of van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold when the players have the power to choose their next move. Although they are prioritising a new deal for the £35 million star, should Konate refuse an extension, the Merseyside outfit will have no choice but to sell him in the upcoming summer window.
Real Madrid and PSG are interested in Ibrahima Konate
Should Liverpool fail in their efforts to renew Konate’s deal, the Frenchman will not have difficulties in finding a new suitor. Real Madrid have already made loose enquiries for the Frenchman, as Florentino Perez eyes a top-draw defender in his team amid links with William Saliba and Dean Huijsen. The former’s asking price will be prohibitive, while the latter lacks experience, meaning Konate will be an ideal choice for the Spaniards.
PSG are also interested in Ibrahima Konate, as they, too, are eager to bring an exciting defender into the mix. The Parisians feel they can tempt the Liverpool star into making the switch while offering him wages that could prove prohibitive for Liverpool to match. For now, the Merseysiders are probably confident of keeping hold of the centre-back for the long run, although the threat of a departure still looms over their heads.
