Arne Slot wants Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate at AC Milan if he ends up taking the job at the Italian club.
According to a report from Fichajes, Arne Slot wants to sign Ibrahima Konate at AC Milan ahead of next season. The Dutch manager is leading the race to take charge at the Italian club after leaving Liverpool, and he might not be the only one joining them.
Konate has decided to bring an end to his time at the Merseyside club. He will be leaving them as a free agent, and Slot wants to reunite with the French centre-back at the Italian club. However, securing his services won’t be easy, as he has other high-profile offers.
Following an impressive rise at RB Leipzig, Konate made the move to Liverpool in the summer of 2021, and he went on to make 183 appearances for them in all competitions. The 27-year-old even played a big part in their 2024/25 Premier League triumph.
While he was a constant feature at the back alongside Virgil van Dijk, Konate won’t be around next season. The French centre-back was close to renewing his contract at the club. However, talks reached a standstill, and he has eventually decided to part ways with the Reds.
AC Milan join the race for Konate
Now that he is available on a free transfer, a number of clubs are after him. AC Milan are one of the clubs that have been linked with him. Arne Slot is the main reason for the Italian giants’ interest in the French defender.
The Dutch manager, who was recently sacked by Liverpool, looks set to take charge at Milan. If he does end up joining them, the former Feyenoord boss would want to reinforce the backline on a priority basis.
He wants someone with a strong physical presence, great aerial ability and leadership. Konate is a perfect fit for the role, and Slot is pushing for his signing. While Milan have as many as five centre-backs, the 27-year-old can be considered an upgrade on the majority of them. He could form a reliable partnership with Strahinja Pavlovic.
Slot relies on a strong defensive base; as a result, Konate’s signing will certainly make a lot of sense. Financially, the move is possible, cause he is available for free. But the French defender has no shortage of offers, so convincing him will be a difficult task.
