Ibrahima Konaté will depart Liverpool for free at the end of his contract this summer after talks over a new deal broke down.
The France defender, who signed for Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2021 for £35 million, had been in talks with the club since November 2023. Both sides were initially optimistic about reaching an agreement, with Konate saying after the Merseyside derby in April that he was “close to an agreement” and there was a “big chance” he would stay at Anfield next season.
But a gap in valuation and wage demands has stalled progress and talks have now stopped altogether. Liverpool are preparing for the possibility of losing another senior player for nothing after Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah left this summer.
It is a situation reminiscent of last year’s departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who signed for Real Madrid CF shortly before the end of his contract after the Spanish club agreed a fee for his early release ahead of the Club World Cup.
Liverpool are beginning to look a little thin at the back. The only experienced centre-backs left in the squad would be club captain Virgil van Dijk – whose deal runs out next summer – and Joe Gomez.
The club had sought to strengthen that area after missing out on Marc Guéhi prior to last September’s deadline day, with the defender ultimately joining Manchester City in January.
And Liverpool are still confident in their younger defensive options despite injury concerns. Jeremy Jacquet joined us this summer in a £60m deal after making 21 appearances for Rennes last season, although the 20-year-old missed the final four months of the campaign through injury.
Teenage defender Giovanni Leoni, who joined from Parma last year, is also facing a lengthy recovery after an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
There is a feeling within the club that improving other areas of the squad takes priority over throwing huge wages at keeping Konate. Replacing Salah and coping with the injury absence of Hugo Ekitike are believed to be higher on Liverpool’s agenda.
In recent years, Liverpool have increasingly allowed key players to leave without collecting transfer fees. Roberto Firmino left in 2023, with former manager Jürgen Klopp publicly stating he wanted Firmino to remain.
Midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum also left as a free agent in 2021, having started all 38 of his Premier League appearances in his final season at the club.
Others such as Emre Can, Adam Lallana, James Milner, Naby Keïta, Divock Origi and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also left Anfield without any transfer income coming to the club.
