Liverpool supporters have had just about enough of long, protracted contract negotiations involving their star players.
After the constant will-they-won’t-they over Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold last season, fans have had their fill of the drama.
Nevertheless, Liverpool have put themselves into a position where another of their key men is entering the final year of his contract next month.
Come Tuesday, Ibrahima Konate will have just 364 days left to run on his current Liverpool deal.
Konate has been linked with Real Madrid as well as hometown club Paris Saint Germain, as fans grow wary of another big name player leaving on a free.
There is still time to ensure Konate stays beyond the terms of his current deal and signs an extension to stay at Anfield. But as journalist Graeme Bailey has exclusively revealed to Rousing The Kop, it is currently not looking too good.
Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool celebrates the teams victory and confirmation of winning the Premier League title after the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Anfield
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Ibrahima Konate backed to leave Liverpool
Following Alexander-Arnold’s defection to Real Madrid, football supporters around the world have grown wise to the Spanish club’s tactics.
However, knowing what Los Blancos are doing and stopping it are two completely different things.
Player Year Joined Year Left Fee Signed For Left Liverpool For Age When Leaving
Emre Can 2014 2018 £10m Juventus 24
Daniel Sturridge 2013 2019 £12m Trabzonspor 29
Adam Lallana 2014 2020 £25m Brighton 32
Gini Wijnaldum 2016 2021 £25m PSG 30
Divock Origi 2015 2022 £10m AC Milan 27
Naby Keita 2018 2023 £48m Werder Bremen 28
Roberto Firmino 2015 2023 £29m Al Ahli 31
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 2017 2023 £35m Besiktas 29
Trent Alexander-Arnold Academy 2025 N/A Real Madrid 26
Selected Liverpool free transfer exits since 2018
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
And according to Bailey, while Konate may not end up joining Real, he is likely to have been keeping careful watch of what happened with Alexander-Arnold. Unfortunately for Liverpool fans, Bailey admits to having a ‘gut feeling’ that Konate is going to go.
“There’s a deal to be done but my gut feeling is that Liverpool might lose him on a free,” he says. “That’s just my gut feeling.”
READ MORE: Darwin Nunez informs Liverpool of transfer decision after talks with Antonio Conte and Napoli
“Not necessarily to Real Madrid, it might be Bayern Munich, it might be PSG. Obviously he’s seen what’s happened with Alexander-Arnold, some of his French teammates have done the same, Kylian Mbappe even did very similar.
“I just have a gut feeling that he’s going to go.”
Could Marc Guehi arrive to replace Konate?
Another factor which has made Konate’s situation even more intriguing is Liverpool’s pursuit of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.
Reports on Saturday suggested Liverpool are closing in on signing Guehi as they aim to make up for the exit of Jarell Quansah.
According to Bailey, though, Palace’s likely valuation of the 24-year-old still makes it a difficult deal to see happening.
“I’ve seen some suggestions it’s going to be under £40m for Marc Guehi, it really isn’t,” he says. “Steve Parish is not going to sell him for under £40m.
“Guehi himself won’t be rushed into anything, he knows he’s in a very strong position and for Liverpool getting him on a free has always been a possibility. There’s a host of clubs looking at him, Liverpool like him an awful lot but I think it’d be a tough sell for Liverpool and the player to get him this summer.”