Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net
Ibrahima Konate’s future is arguably one of the most important things Liverpool are going to tackle in the near future.
The dynamic duo have helped Arne Slot’s men only concede 40 Premier League goals this season, which is the second-best record of any team in the top flight.
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
So, the fact that Konate’s contract at Liverpool is set to expire in 2026 outlines why Richard Hughes has a lot of work to do in the summer.
A fresh report from French outlet L’Equipe has shared that ‘new negotiations’ between the Frenchman and Hughes have taken place, with Liverpool wanting the deal done before the end of the summer.
On Konate’s side of things, everything is ‘calm’ with his entourage claiming that ‘the ball is in the club’s court.’
To that end, L’Equipe also report that negotiations are due to resume in the next one to two weeks.
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
There’s no denying that Van Dijk has been one of the Reds’ most important players over the last few years.
However, with the Dutchman now getting on a bit, Slot is going to have to find his next Van Dijk, and with the qualities Konate has shown this term, it’s hard to see why he wouldn’t be the Reds’ first-choice.
StatisticAverage per Premier League gameInterceptions0.5Tackles1.3Balls recovered3.0Dribbled past0.3Clearances4.1Ibrahima Konate’s defensive statistics in the 2024/25 Premier League season, taken from Sofascore.
He has similar characteristics to Van Dijk, and when the duo are both on the pitch, the defensive line seems much stronger than it is with Jarell Quansah or Joe Gomez in the middle.
Of course, these are all just rumours at the moment, but in the grand scheme of things, allowing Konate to leave Liverpool on a free would be a catastrophic mistake and one that Hughes would struggle to live down.
![[Valid RSS]](../valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed")