The transfer market has been heated up with multiple news stories concerning Liverpool this summer but now the club is battling contract negotiations with Ibrahima Konate.

As the Merseysiders have set their sights on all the potential titles for the 2025-26 season, their sole objective this summer has been to overhaul the squad.

Richard Hughes, the man in charge of the major squad rebuild, has executed several signings, sold many, and most importantly, completed contract extensions of key players, ie, skipper Virgil van Dijk and talisman Mohamed Salah, way before the season drew curtains with his entourage.

The Reds suffered a blow to their stomach with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Real Madrid transfer, only pocketing a consolation fee of £10 million from the Spanish giants for letting him go prior to his contract expiration.

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However, the club learnt the invaluable lesson of prioritising contract renewals well before the expiration date nears.

But LFC are still facing challenges with another defender’s contract extension, which might result in another free transfer.

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Ibrahima Konate has just a month over a year left on his Liverpool contract and the defender is refusing to sign a new deal.

The French international currently earns a reported weekly wage of £80,000 and sources revealed last month that the player’s camp is demanding a new salary of £200,000.

According to The Guardian, the two parties cannot reach an agreement at this moment and currently, with a few more signings left to be completed, the Reds plan to reopen negotiations ‘later in the summer’.

The report also clearly mentions that the Premier League champions will not entertain any unnecessary demand for overpaying.

LFC are already on their way to sell young backup Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen.

So, the situation is such that even if they sell the 26-year-old hurriedly to avoid a free transfer, their backline will be compromised ahead of a very demanding season.

Although Marc Guehi transfer rumours have been igniting for the last few days, nothing solid has emerged so far.

The Anfield giants find themselves in a deadlock situation here if they cannot make anything positive out of this.

What do you think Kopites, should Liverpool sell Ibrahima Konate this summer or keep pushing for a contract extension?

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