Arne Slot will need to go back to the drawing board at Liverpool.placeholder image
Arne Slot will need to go back to the drawing board at Liverpool. | Getty Images
Liverpool can sign marquee new recruit with this potential player swap deal
There is intense pressure on the shoulders of Arne Slot right now as Liverpool try to break this dismal run of form and get their season back on track.
As we enter the last month of 2025, it’s looking all the more likely that the Reds will be forced to turn to the January transfer window to bring in emergency new signings.
A lot is going wrong at Anfield this season but the defence is arguably one of the most worrying areas. Slot’s side have shipped ten goals in their last three appearances, including their humiliating 4-1 defeat to PSV.
Ibrahima Konate has come under serious criticism recently and with his contract ticking towards its expiration, Liverpool need to decide what to do with him.
Clubs interested in signing Ibrahima Konate
Despite Liverpool wanting to keep Konate at Anfield, he has rejected three new contract offers from the club.
Initially, the narrative looked to be headed in a similar direction to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move to Real Madrid. Konate has been linked with the Spanish club for months now but new reports claim Los Blancos have now pulled the plug on their interest in the Frenchman, which scuppers what could have been a dream move for Konate.
Other clubs have also been showing interest in him, though, and Liverpool can use that to their advantage in the new year. Inter Milan are among the interested parties, with L'Interista reporting that they are interested in signing Konate for free in the summer, but haven’t ruled out a January move either (via Tribal Football).
With Inter keen on the 26-year-old, Liverpool could use their interest to their advantage in their pursuit of Alessandro Bastoni.
Liverpool can pitch swap deal to land Alessandro Bastoni
The Reds are in desperate need of bolstering their backline and Bastoni has emerged as a leading target in recent weeks. A recent report suggested that Liverpool are willing to offer as much as £88 million for the Italian’s services, who is under contract with Inter until 2028.
He comes highly recommended by Italian legend Giorgi Chiellini, who described Bastoni as ‘one of the best central defenders in the world’ back in 2023.
“He is a player that Italy will be able to count on for many years, he just needs to continue working and maintaining the desire to improve.”
Moving to the Premier League will certainly add another string to Bastoni’s bow but convincing Inter to part ways with such an important player will be tough.
Offering Konate - a like-for-like swap with Bastoni - plus a decent chunk of cash could be enough to give Inter something to think about. The Italian club will be aware of the rival teams queuing up to sign Bastoni, and it’s surely only a matter of time before someone is successful in snapping him up.
Konate is far from impressing in red at the moment but he has been solid for Liverpool over the years, which other clubs will be able to appreciate. For Slot though, it’s time to try something new in defence, which should be the focal point of their January transfer window once it opens for business.
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