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Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

You'd be forgiven for not noticing amid the hullabaloo and hot air of this summer's seemingly interminable transfer window.

But the very real stuff of action on the field has already started for Liverpool this season.

While the sample size of a handful of friendlies, the Community Shield and the Premier League opener at home to Bournemouth is small, a few of issues have wasted no time in shooting to prominence for Reds boss Arne Slot.

And one of them is, almost inevitably, entwined with transfers: the form of centre-back Ibrahima Konate.

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Jamie Carragher, who knows a thing or two about playing at the heart of the Liverpool defence, was less than impressed with the Frenchman's performance in the 4-2 win over Bournemouth, pointing out on Sky Sports the failings of Konate for the visitors' second goal from Antoine Semenyo, who ran more than 50 yards unchallenged before netting.

"For Semenyo to run that far and get his shot away is incredible - but where is Konate going?" said Carragher.

He just takes Konate's place.”

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With 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni snapped up from Parma for an initial £26million and talks ongoing with Crystal Palace over England international Marc Guehi, Liverpool have made moves to bolster centre-back options weakened by the sale of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen for £35m earlier in the summer.

Konate has been the long-time preferred partner to skipper Virgil van Dijk, first under Jurgen Klopp and last season with Slot in charge.

Indeed, he started 30 of 38 Premier League games as the Reds romped to the title.

But his indifferent form at the start of this campaign isn't entirely isolated, instead continuing a trend that arguably began in the Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain when, having struggled in the first leg, he was partly responsible for the French side's winner in the Anfield return.

Konate had ended the 2023/24 campaign behind Quansah in the pecking order but wrested back his position after replacing his team-mate at half-time of Slot's first game in charge at Ipswich Town, and was in excellent form until suffering an injury in the Champions League win over Real Madrid that sidelined him for six weeks.

Konate has never quite recaptured his best since then.

Of course, there is another factor that must be considered.

Konate is now inside the last 12 months of his Liverpool contract and, while there was some progress in talks over a new deal earlier in the summer, no resolution is at present in sight.

Speculation over his future did become a distraction towards the end of last term, and with Real Madrid and PSG reportedly both ready to wait until the 26-year-old becomes a free agent next summer, that is only going to intensify the longer there is no agreement over a new contract.

The potential signing of Guehi therefore intrigues.

While Liverpool require a long-term successor for a now 34-year-old Van Dijk, Guehi, having skippered Palace to FA Cup glory last season, will expect to be challenging for a regular starting role immediately should he join.

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And that possibility could be enough for one of Konate's admirers to test the waters before the transfer window closes on September 1.

If Liverpool have five centre-backs on their books at that point, there may be a difficult call to make.