Beth LindopFeb 12, 2026, 12:00 PM
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Virgil van Dijk has said he wants "world-class" teammate Ibrahima Konaté to stay at Liverpool beyond the expiration of his contract this summer.
Konaté, who joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2021, is currently set to leave the club as a free agent at the end of June.
While there has been little indication that an agreement is imminent, Van Dijk admitted he has not lost hope that a resolution can be reached with the 26-year-old.
"We are friends, we speak about everything," Van Dijk said. "It's a process and let's see what comes out of it. It's never that easy. We saw with my situation last year so it's never that easy that we can just say 'let's get it done.'
"It's a process and let's see what comes out of it.
Virgil van Dijk is keen for teammate Ibrahima Konaté to stay at the club beyond this summer. (Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)
"Obviously I want him to stay. He's an important figure on the pitch. That's what everyone sees but off the pitch as well, he's one of the leaders. He's outstanding and in my eyes, a world-class centre back.
"I can do only so much but it's in the clubs hands, together with his agents and himself so let's see what comes out of it but I have no influence otherwise on that. There's always hope."
Konate was one of the standout performers for Liverpool as they beat Sunderland 1-0 in the Premier League on Wednesday night to move within three points of fourth-placed Manchester United.
Van Dijk scored the winning goal for the visitors at the Stadium of Light, although he admitted the Reds are still facing a battle to secure Champions League qualification this term.
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"Absolutely," he said. "If you look at the teams around, some of them dropped points. I think we're going to play most of them so definitely we need some perfection.
"Today was pretty close to perfection, how we defended, the intensity but also the chances we generated and maybe should have scored but it's still game by game.
"Unfortunately, we've got Wata [Endo] out now -- hopefully not too long but it could be. We're very thin at the moment. We need everyone available but it's a combination of being ready, physically and mentally.
"For example, last game losing in that manner at home and you have to be strong to come back from that. That's why I'm proud of the guys today and the shift they put in. It's an important three points."