Amid what has been a sensational start to the summer transfer window for Liverpool, the future of Ibrahima Konate provides a somewhat worrying backdrop - not to mention an all too familiar story.
Arne Slot and Richard Hughes have wasted no time in strengthening after the Premier League title triumph, with Milos Kerkez the latest addition to be confirmed this week as he joined Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz in making the move to Anfield.
You’re never too far away from some contract drama though, and Konate is the newest saga that looks set to dominate headlines. That is, as long as he hasn’t already made his mind up.
Attempts from Liverpool to tie the Frenchman down to a new deal don’t look to have gone according to plan so far, and now there are claims that an exit might be inevitable.
According to French outlet Foot Mercato, Konate has decided he wants to leave Liverpool at the end of his current deal. Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are all said to be interested in securing his signature, although the player’s preference is apparently a move to the Bernabeu.
Of course, Liverpool has been through all of this already recently, and if Trent Alexander-Arnold’s saga is anything to go by, don’t expect a quick resolution.
Unlike his former teammate though, Konate has been a lot more forthcoming on the subject of contract talks, and the speculation around a potential move to Madrid or PSG.
Ibrahima Konate's contract at Liverpool is set to expire next summer
Ibrahima Konate's contract at Liverpool is set to expire next summer (Image: Getty Images)
Earlier this year, ahead of facing off against the eventual winners in the Champions League, the defender was met with questions about being linked with two of Europe’s giants.
"Hearing big clubs like that being interested is very flattering, but now I'm focusing on this season,” Konate said.
“I want to win everything - take as many titles as possible and then everything that happens in relation to my contractual situation. It's my agents, my advisors who take care of that."
That contract situation hasn’t looked all that promising of late. Liverpool’s attempts to try and get Konate tied down to a new contract look to have stalled, with the 26-year-old wanting his salary to reflect what he believes to be his standing as one of the Premier League’s best defenders.
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That stance is fair enough, considering Konate has now firmly established himself as Virgil van Dijk's first-choice center-back partner, and he is a regular for France in what is a highly competitive area of Didier Deschamps' squad.
But there's no denying that Konate is leaving Liverpool in an awkward spot, especially with Jarell Quansah seemingly on his way to Bayer Leverkusen. That alone leaves the Reds needing to find another defender, and losing another first-team option next year would create even more work.
It's a situation that will have to be closely managed by the club's sporting director Hughes throughout the remainder of the summer, but it certainly wouldn't come as a surprise if Real or PSG has managed to turn another Liverpool player's head.
An original version of this article was first published on May 10.