The whispers from France have landed at just the right moment. With Liverpool grinding through a transitional season under Arne Slot, the future of their towering centre-back has suddenly become the story that refuses to fade.
According to L’Équipe, the Reds have not given up on retaining Ibrahima Konaté beyond the summer. The 26-year-old’s contract expires on 30 June, and as things stand the club have yet to table a fresh offer that meets the demands put forward by his representatives. Yet the message from Anfield is clear: they are refusing to wave the white flag.
This stance comes against the backdrop of a potential defensive rebuild. Andy Robertson is guaranteed to depart when his deal runs out at the end of the campaign, with the Scotland international long tipped for a move — Tottenham were keen in January before that window closed without a deal. The left-back’s exit will leave a sizeable hole on the left flank, and losing Konaté as well would trigger a major overhaul at the heart of the back four.
Konaté, for his part, remains in no rush. He is free to speak to foreign clubs about a pre-contract agreement, but he has so far chosen not to go down that road. The Frenchman appears content to play the waiting game and make his decision once the season has run its course. That patience gives Liverpool hope they can still strike a deal before he becomes a free agent.
Talks have dragged on for the best part of 18 months, and the club are determined not to let this one slip away in the same manner as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure to Real Madrid. Arne Slot made the club’s position plain earlier this month: “We are in talks with him so that tells you what we want. It’s clear we would like him to stay.”
On the pitch, Konaté has shown flashes of the form that made him such a prized asset when fit. His physicality, reading of the game and ability to step into midfield have been vital in recent outings — most notably the narrow 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest that kept the European chase alive.
The centre-back partnership with Virgil van Dijk remains one of the most respected in the division when both are available, and the thought of breaking it up permanently is not one the Anfield hierarchy want to entertain lightly. Yet the financial demands, the length of the negotiations and the looming free-agent status all add layers of complexity.
For now, Liverpool’s message is one of quiet resolve: they will keep pushing, keep talking and keep believing a solution can be found.