Virgil van Dijk has stated that he wants Ibrahima Konate to stay at Liverpool beyond this summer, but he admitted “it’s never that easy” to just “get it done.”
Virgil van Dijk speaks on Ibrahima Konate contract situation
After Konate continued his renaissance in form with another strong display against Sunderland, Van Dijk spoke about his teammate’s contract that expires in the summer.
“We are friends, we speak about everything, it’s a process. Let’s see what comes out of it. It’s never that easy,” the Dutchman said.
“It’s never that easy that we can just say get it done, it’s a process and we’ll see what comes out of it.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - Wednesday, February 11, 2026: Liverpool's Ibrahima Konaté during the pre-match warm-up before the FA Premier League match between Sunderland AFC and Liverpool FC at the Stadium of Light. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“Obviously I want him to stay, he’s an important figure on the pitch, but off the pitch as well.
“He’s one of the leaders, he’s an outstanding – in my eyes – world-class centre-back, so I can do only so much.
“It’s in the club’s hands together with his agent and himself so let’s see what comes out of it.”
According to the Athletic‘s James Pearce, the latest murmurings from Liverpool indicate that they haven’t given up on the 26-year-old signing a new deal.
The Anfield hierarchy reportedly “point to how Van Dijk and Salah didn’t agree fresh terms until April last season when their contracts were running down.”
Read more here
Today’s Liverpool FC News
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - Wednesday, February 11, 2026: Liverpool's Florian Wirtz during the FA Premier League match between Sunderland AFC and Liverpool FC at the Stadium of Light. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
• Steven Gerrard has said he “would have loved to play with” Florian Wirtz, adding that “his first touch is immaculate” – imagine the two of them in the same team! More here
• Darwin Nunez has been left out of Al-Hilal’s squad to make room for Karim Benztema in the second half of the season
• James Milner has equalled Gareth Barry’s modern record of 653 appearances in the Premier League – he won’t be reaching goalkeeper Peter Shilton’s all-time record of 848 top-flight games, though!
• To complete our briefing on ex-players, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored a brilliant late winner for Celtic on his debut against Livingston on Wednesday!
More from This Is Anfield
With Van Dijk’s header against Sunderland taking him past Sami Hyypia’s total of 22 league goals for Liverpool, Sam Millne took a look at where the current captain lies in Liverpool’s all-time books for goalscoring defenders.
Elsewhere in the football world
LONDON, ENGLAND - Tuesday, March 7, 2023: Chelsea's Raheem Sterling during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg game between Chelsea FC and Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea won 2-0, 2-1 on aggregate. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
• Raheem Sterling is set to join Feyenoord until the end of the season following his release from Chelsea (BBC Sport)
• Nottingham Forest are close to appointing their fourth manager of the season, ex-Wolves boss Vitor Pereira, after sacking Sean Dyche – hopefully there will be no ‘new manager bounce’ when we played them in 10 days!
• Thomas Tuchel has extended his contract as England manager to include Euro 2028 – it was originally set to expire after this summer’s World Cup
• Manager Alvaro Arbeloa has said Real Madrid are “proceeding cautiously” with Trent Alexander-Arnold, following a strong substitute appearance against Valencia at the weekend
Liverpool FC: On this day
Roger Hunt, Liverpool, 1970 (Picture by S&G S&G and Barratts/EMPICS Sport)
February 12, 1966 saw Liverpool beat Sunderland 4-0 at Anfield, with Roger Hunt netting four times including a 19-minute hat-trick.
Having lifted the FA Cup the year before, he would go on to win the league with Liverpool and World Cup with England in the summer of 1966, after a season in which he scored 32 goals in 36 appearances.
While Ian St John and Hunt would often be competing for the status of main man, they combined to incredible effect on this day, as the former set up Hunt for three of his four strikes against the Black Cats who finished the campaign fourth from bottom.