Liverpool risk losing Konate on a free transfer in the summer when his current deal expires
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Liverpool are in talks with Ibrahima Konate about a new contract with Arne Slot saying he wants the defender to stay.
The Premier League champions risk losing the £36m signing on a free transfer in the summer when his current deal expires.
And Liverpool are bringing in other central defenders with Giovanni Leoni arriving last summer for £26m and the club agreeing an initial £55m deal for Jeremy Jacquet, who will move to Anfield at the end of this season.
But captain Virgil van Dijk had called Konate “world class” and said “obviously, I want him to stay” after the Frenchman excelled in Wednesday’s 1-0 win at Sunderland.
Slot revealed the club are making moves to keep the 26-year-old, saying: “We are in talks with him so that tells you what we want. It’s clear we would like him to stay but negotiations are ongoing so let’s see where that ends. We wouldn’t be in negotiations if we didn’t want him to stay.”
Last year, Liverpool were in a similar position with Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, with each approaching the end of his contract and the club at risk of losing each.
They kept the central defender and the winger and now Slot has put the onus on Konate to follow suit and commit his future to the club.
The former RB Leipzig player has made 33 appearances this season and volunteered to return early from compassionate leave after the death of his father to face Newcastle last month.
Ibrahima Konate (left) put in a strong display against Sunderland on Wednesday
Ibrahima Konate (left) put in a strong display against Sunderland on Wednesday (Getty Images)
And Slot is glad that, with plenty of other injuries, Konate and Van Dijk have stayed fit.
“It’s just as good from him as from Virgil,” he added. “I’m sure there is a difference in age and that sometimes plays a part as well. Ibou has had a very good spell recently. He had a lot of good games earlier in the season but then he was also part of the reason why we conceded a goal.
“His general performances were good but then a small mistake he made immediately led to a goal and so he was judged differently. But he is having a very good partnership with Virgil since I’ve been here and, just like Virgil, he has always been fit. Touch wood. These two are vital for us, not only because of the quality they have but because of the lack of options we have behind.”