Liverpool has 3 roles to fill under Arne Slot as Ibrahima Konate adds to departure list
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Liverpool FC NewsTransfer NewsTransfersLiverpool must replace three players during the transfer window after it emerged that Ibrahima Konate will follow Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson out of the Anfield exit doorIbrahima Konate is set to leave Liverpool(Image: AFP or Licensors)Liverpool has been given an extra conundrum in the transfer market after it emerged that Ibrahima Konate is set to leave the club this summer.Konate will be the third player to leave Liverpool on a free transfer in the off-season, along with Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson.That is a lot of experience exiting the squad in one summer, and the Reds will need to replace all three players one way or another.It looks as though Robertson's replacement has already been lined up, with Kostas Tsimikas set to return to Anfield after spending last season on loan at Roma.Arne Slot confirmed in a press conference in April that Tsimikas was expected to return, and he will likely operate as Milos Kerkez's backup next term before a longer-term target is recruited next summer.“We know that Robbo is going to leave, we know that Mo is going to leave, so that means changing two players," Slot said. “We also know that Kostas Tsimikas comes back."On replacing Salah and Konate's situation, Slot said: “I think the first aim is to see how we are acting in the position of Mo, if we want to replace that with a similar player or do it differently.“For the rest I don’t think at this moment of time there’s a chance of other players leaving.“Of course there’s the Ibou [Konate] contract situation, so then there might not be such a big need for trading a lot if you don’t need to bring a lot of new players in.”Slot was speaking just a few days on from Konate saying that he expected to sign a contract extension at Anfield.Ibrahima Konate will leave Liverpool(Image: Getty)"There is a big chance I'm here next season," Konate said following April's Merseyside derby.
"This is what I always wanted... we are close to an agreement."I'm waiting to sort the contract, but when everything is sorted, you will have to ask Richard what I said to him in September, November and he's going to say something to make everyone quiet."However, the two parties failed to come to an agreement over wages, and Konate will leave for free this summer, with Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid among the clubs that have been linked with a move for the 27-year-old.Replacing players of Salah's and Konate's caliber will likely not come cheap.There has been no suggestion as to who Liverpool could line up to replace Konate, while Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola are reportedly on the Reds' list of possible targets to replace Salah.Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FCTransfers