Ibrahima Konate may not actually be as close to signing a new contract with Liverpool as had initially been thought.
The centre-back had appeared to end speculation over his future by confirming that he was close to penning a new deal after last weekend’s win over Everton.
However, according to journalist Alex Crook, things are not quite as cut and dry as that, with insiders at Liverpool suggesting that Konate could still end up leaving.
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Arne Slot reacts animatedly during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against Galatasaray at Anfield (Credit: Getty Images/Carl Recine).
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot kisses the Premier League trophy after the final day of the 2025/26 season at Anfield (Credit: Getty Images/Carl Recine).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Carl Recine
Konate’s new contract is still ‘in the balance’
After his confident claims in the mixed zone at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, it had felt as though Liverpool could start planning for next season with Konate on board.
Speaking to TalkSPORT on Friday, though, Crook claimed that while people close to the Frenchman believe he is close to signing on, sources at Anfield are saying something different.
“We don’t know what’s happening with Konate yet,” said the journalist. “Mixed messaging there.”
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Ibrahima Konate passes the ball during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League quarter-final match against Paris Saint Germain at Parc des Princes.
Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images
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“If you speak to people close to Konate they say that he’s close to signing a new deal and extending his stay. Sources at Liverpool are suggesting it’s a bit more 50/50, a bit more in the balance than that.”
Should another week tick by without an announcement, there may begin to be a feeling that Konate might just be slipping away.
It would make a lot of sense for Liverpool to get their No. 5 tied down ahead of what is likely to be another busy summer, but as he closes in on the final two months of his contract, there appears to be a real possibility of him leaving.
Given the confidence Konate displayed last Sunday, it still feels more likely that he will indeed sign an extension and commit the next four or five years of his career to Liverpool. Until then, however, creeping doubts will continue to cause uncertainty and concern.
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