Ibrahima Konaté is ready to leave Liverpool. – The French centre-back’s contract expires in a few weeks, on July 1, and the parties have not been able to agree on a new deal.
Negotiations between the Reds and their star player have been going on for months, and speculation about his future is rife.
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Konaté has been heavily linked with Real Madrid as he enters the summer transfer window with his contract expiring. Despite the constant rumours of an exit, he indicated in April that a new Liverpool deal was imminent.
He said at the time: “There are a lot of things people have said, but we have spoken to the club for a long time and we are close to an agreement. I think everyone wanted it to happen as soon as possible, but we’re well on our way.”
Konaté added: “There is definitely a big chance that I will be here next season. This is what I’ve always wanted.”
Nevertheless, it seems that these statements from the 27-year-old have led nowhere, and he will leave the club this summer.
He will leave Liverpool along with Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson, who will also expire when their contracts expire. All three star players were part of the Liverpool squad that won the Premier League in the 2024/25 season, and they become legends at the club.
They all played their last game at Anfield in the 1-1 draw against Brentford last Sunday. However, Konaté did not receive the same farewell as Salah and Robertson, as his future was still uncertain at the time.
Konaté’s Liverpool career
Konaté leaves Liverpool after winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, two League Cup titles and the Community Shield.
He made 183 appearances for the club in all competitions, 118 of which came in the English top flight.
The strong partnership he formed with captain Virgil van Dijk became a key asset for both Jürgen Klopp and Arne Slot.
Their performances failed this season, as did the rest of the Liverpool squad, as they struggled to defend their title under Slot. Nevertheless, he played 36 of the Reds’ 38 league games this season.
The Frenchman also played in ten Champions League games, bringing his total number of appearances for the club up to 28.
The future of the centre-back position
Liverpool will now have to replace one of their most regular players before next season. But they may already have ready-made replacements at the club, as Jérémy Jacquet arrives this summer.
The Reds signed Jacquet for £60 million in the winter window, and they agreed to let him stay at Rennes until July 1. That means that on the very day Konaté leaves the club, the 20-year-old comes in.
Jacquet made 21 appearances for Rennes in France this season, before suffering a serious shoulder injury that kept him out of action.
In addition to the Frenchman, teenager Giovanni Leoni will provide depth at centre-back when he returns from injury. Leoni’s debut for Liverpool ended in tears, as he was carried out on a stretcher with a cruciate ligament tear that has kept him out ever since.
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