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Liverpool could convince Ibrahima Konate to stay with savvy pre-contract agreement for…

Liverpool's French defender #05 Ibrahima Konate scores goal which was ruled out by the VAR during the UEFA Champions League phase day 6 football match between Inter Milan and Liverpool at San Siro stadium in Milan, on December 9, 2025.placeholder image

Liverpool's French defender #05 Ibrahima Konate scores goal which was ruled out by the VAR during the UEFA Champions League phase day 6 football match between Inter Milan and Liverpool at San Siro stadium in Milan, on December 9, 2025. | AFP via Getty Images

Liverpool have a few problems to fix in the summer but a Bosman deal could prove to be a solution.

Liverpool’s recruitment team seems to be more focused on another summer transfer spend rather than any high profile deadline day deals.

Arne Slot will be looking for a period of stability and of improved performance in the closing months of the season in the hope that the Champions League provides a distraction from the woes of the Premier League.

The Reds are hanging onto the coat tails of Chelsea and Man United, but this season has shown where the gaps are in terms of planning for the future.

Liverpool consider pre-contract agreement

One thing that Slot will be looking for is to tie down Ibrahima Konate to a new contract even if it is looking increasingly likely that the Frenchman will leave Anfield this summer. The reaction to his goal against Newcastle might be enough to persuade him to stay.

There is another factor that could come into play if Liverpool sign a player who would keep Konate happy on Merseyside.

The 27-year old has plenty of offers on the table with the Premier League, Ligue 1 and La Liga all having teams who are interested in landing a bargain. After missing out on Marc Guehi, it makes sense to look at a player who is every bit as good in and out of possession and has the experience needed at a big club and at elite level.

Upamecano contract causing Bayern Munich unrest

Upamecano has a huge fan in Bayern’s honorary president Uli Hoeneß who spoke to Kicker at the weekend: "I would be incredibly happy if Dayot Upamecano decided to stay at FC Bayern,” Hoeneß has a clear opinion on Upamecano: "I know that he and his family feel very comfortable in Munich. However, I fear that his advisors will do everything they can to lure him away from Munich," he says.

The 74-year old is on record as not being happy about the player’s agents carrying out all the negotiations without Upamecano’s presence. With FC Bayern Munich stretching their finances to the limit for Upamecano, including a signing bonus and release clause, and a hefty agent's fee, Hoeneß doesn't understand the agent's behaviour.

"I'm appalled by this," he added. With Bayern unable to agree a deal with Upamecano so far, the door is open for Liverpool to make up for missing out on Guehi.

He might be on big wages, but over the long term, Liverpool could save a fortune. Virgil van Dijk is one of the biggest earners at the club and, with him starting next season at 35 years old, planning for the future becomes a huge part of any summer recruitment.

With Konate playing with him at international level, knowing he could have the defender alongside him at Anfield could well be enough to convince him to sign a new deal. To do that, the Reds need to focus on a summer deal and get a pre-contract in place.

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