Liverpool player was ‘petrified’ and ‘constantly arguing’ with Van Dijk vs Chelsea, says Stephen Warnock

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Ibrahima Konate has come in for criticism for his performance during Liverpool’s meeting with Chelsea on Saturday.Rio Ngumoha impressed fans early on and played a key role in Ryan Gravenberch giving the home side an early lead.However, the Reds completely lost their way as the first half wore on, and Konate’s display has come in for heavy criticism as a result. Who was Liverpool’s best player in Saturday’s disappointing draw with Chelsea?

Some good amongst the bad Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images Stephen Warnock criticises Ibrahima Konate vs ChelseaCovering the game on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Liverpool player Stephen Warnock tore into the Frenchman and highlighted that he and Virgil van Dijk were constantly arguing.He said: “There’s no pressure on the ball, there’s no intensity, they look lost in the system as Chelsea come forward. “Him and Van Dijk are constantly arguing about the bravery of how to hold the line and Konate is not strong enough to do it.”Konate has had a mixed 2025/26 season, coming in for similar criticism in the first few months of the campaign.And it may explain why the Merseyside outfit are still yet to come to terms with the stopper about a new contract.Why hasn’t Ibrahima Konate signed a new contract at LiverpoolAt present, the Frenchman will become a free agent after June 30, 2026, once his deal is up.Talks have been ongoing for a while, but Ben Jacobs recently shared that Liverpool are being ‘cautious’ with Konate’s contract.He stated: “Liverpool are very dispassionate, they are data-led in how they look at these things and there’s always been caution in negotiating with Konate.“For months and months and months Liverpool sources have referred to this ‘stalemate’ in getting it done.

It could change in hours or days, but at the time I’m answering it’s not 100 per cent done and this is why Liverpool are cautiously optimistic, but it’s still a relatively open and complex situation.“If it was as clear-cut as Konate said it was, then it already would have been announced,” Jacobs adds. “It hasn’t, which means negotiations have been taken to the wire, which is borne out of Liverpool’s caution, rather than Konate’s desire to stay.”Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox