Ibrahima Konate is expected to sign a new long-term contract at Liverpool, but there could be a PSG-specific release clause included.
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It has been a long and winding road, but Liverpool fans can finally see light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to Ibrahima Konate’s contract at Anfield.
After months of uncertainty, speculation linking the France international to both Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, the 26-year-old centre-back appears ready to commit his long-term future to the club.
Speaking after Liverpool’s 2-1 derby victory over Everton on Sunday, Konate was refreshingly open about where things stand:
“To be fair, there are many things people have said, but for a long time we have spoken with the club and we are [now] close to an agreement,” the Frenchman explained. “I think everyone wished for that for as long as possible but we are in a good way.”
“For sure there is a big chance I’m here next season. This is what I always wanted. I’m waiting to sort the contract.”
He also pointed to how Liverpool handled the renewals of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah last season as context, suggesting the club simply prefers to wrap up big deals in the latter stages of the campaign. That parallel, he implied, should calm everyone down.
But DaveOCKOP.com can now exclusively bring you new details on the negotiations with the club.
We understand that one aspect for the potential agreement centers on a release clause. Specifically, we can reveal that a clause relating to Paris Saint-Germain could form part of the final contract agreement.
The value being discussed in that context sits in the region of £60 million.
It is worth stressing that nothing has been signed, nothing is done, and this is one element of what remains an ongoing negotiation. Whether that clause ultimately makes it into the final agreement remains to be seen, but the fact it is being discussed can explain why a deal that seemed close on paper has taken a little longer to finalise than many expected.
Konate has been ever-present at the heart of Liverpool’s backline alongside skipper Virgil van Dijk this season, making 46 appearances in all competitions and chipping in with two goals.