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With Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure now confirmed, Liverpool are confronted with another pressing contract issue involving Ibrahima Konate, as talks with the French defender have stalled amid interest from top European clubs such as Real Madrid.

Liverpool have so far struggled to make progress in negotiations with Konate, whose current contract runs until 2026.

Discussions, which began back in October 2024, have reached a standstill, with a significant gap remaining between the club’s offer and the player’s expectations.

Konate, 25, currently earns £80,000 per week under the five-year agreement he signed upon arriving from RB Leipzig in 2021.

However, reports indicate he is now seeking a major pay rise to around £200,000 per week—a 150% increase that would put him among Liverpool’s top earners.

At present, only Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Alisson command salaries above the £200,000 mark at Anfield, underlining the magnitude of Konate’s request.

“I know I have a lot of objectives with this club: to become a leader, to win everything?

I am very happy here to be fair,” said the France international.

Speaking to reporters after the title ceremony at Anfield, the Frenchman appeared to hint that news could come over the summer:

“This is another conversation with the club and my agent, we will see what will happen in the next few weeks or I don’t know when but we will see, let me say that, he said as quoted by PA.

“Progressing.

Not really – but my agent met the club last week but I don’t know what will happen.”

“I cannot say what my agent said to me but yeah, we will see what will happen.”

He then hit out at suggestions he was asking for a big money deal, and slammed social media reports doing the rounds:

“I just want to say one thing: everything you saw on social media is completely fake.

The rest, that I want to wait until the end (of his contract), all of it is completely fake.”

There aren’t many better centre-backs available on the market, and the Frenchman already has a deep understanding of the club culture despite only being 26.

The Premier League title triumph this term should only to persuade Konate to extend his stay at Anfield.

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