6 days ago
Ibrahima Konaté looks group to time off Liverpool aft failing to work together a statement extension.
The 27-year-old’s representatives person been successful extended talks pinch nan nine astir extending his five-year enactment astatine Anfield but it now looks definite that nan France world will time off for free.
If Konaté walks distant from Liverpool retired of contract, it will beryllium nan 2nd consecutive twelvemonth – aft Trent Alexander-Arnold ran down his woody earlier a £10m move to Real Madrid – that nan nine will person mislaid 1 of their first-choice defenders without receiving a important fee.
Konaté has had a disappointing play but losing an established centre-back will travel arsenic a rustle for nan sporting head Richard Hughes, pinch caller protect recruits Jérémy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni some moving their measurement backmost to fittingness aft important injuries and transportation speculation swirling complete nan early of Joe Gomez.
With Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson besides leaving, Konaté’s departure would mean different champion of nan Jürgen Klopp era departing. The Paris-born subordinate is now apt to beryllium courted by Paris Saint-Germain, though Chelsea person besides been linked pinch a move.
In April nan defender hinted he would for illustration to enactment astatine Anfield erstwhile he opened up astir nan statement negotiations.
He said: “My future? There are galore things group person said but for a agelong clip we person spoken pinch nan nine and we are adjacent to an agreement. I deliberation everyone wished for that for arsenic agelong arsenic imaginable but we are successful a bully way.
“There is simply a large chance I’m present adjacent season. This is what I ever wanted. I’m waiting to benignant nan statement but erstwhile everything is sorted you will person to inquire Richard [Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director] what I said to him successful September, November and he’s going to opportunity thing to make everyone quiet.”
