"By the New Year": Liverpool hoping for positive end to talks in two weeks

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Ibrahima Konate’s situation at Liverpool is even more uncertain than it was at the start of the season. Konate was back to his best against Brighton, but he will need to deliver more than one good performance to guarantee his long-term future at the club, especially if Liverpool sign someone like Marc Guehi.

Latest on Liverpool contract renewal talks with Ibrahima Konate and his agents According to TEAMtalk transfer insider Dean Jones, Liverpool still want to tie Konate down to a new deal but also “want to ideally bring in a centre-back to compete with him, rather than replace him.” “The aim has been to tie him up by the New Year, but I’m not sure they see it as a strict deadline,” Jones reports. The problem Liverpool have is that if Konate leaves, then they’ll actually need two centre-back signings.

“They are already in the market for someone – and that’s not to replace Konate, it’s to have as well as him. It’s easiest for Liverpool to keep Konate and give him a decent deal than going out and replacing him and having yet another new player to get up to speed.