Liverpool went to great lengths to retain Ibrahima Konate, but during the second summer season they faced the loss of a first-team defender in his prime when his contract expired.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transfer fee raised at least £10 million, with Real Madrid paying to rescue him in the final month of his Club World Cup contract. Meanwhile, Konate failed to agree on an extension and is scheduled to leave for free on July 1.
This does not reflect well on a club that was predicted to have the best results in England not long ago. Konate, 27, may have had a difficult season, but he is an almost ever-present presence for Liverpool, starting all but two games in the Premier League and Champions League.
Liverpool’s already poor defensive unit is set to lose one of its key components. That leaves only 34-year-old Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, whose future is uncertain this summer, and youngsters Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet, who are recovering from serious injuries.
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Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson bid an emotional farewell to Liverpool after their final game at Anfield.
Addressing the gap in the forward line created by Mohamed Salah’s departure and Hugo Echique’s Achilles injury is an unwanted distraction for Liverpool in the summer. This is considered an urgent matter that will keep him out for most of 2026.
Liverpool manager Arne Slott says disgruntled fans are underestimating the impact a good transfer window can have in turning around the club’s fortunes as their disappointing Premier League title defense draws to a close. The task just got a little more difficult.
Why Konate is planning to leave Liverpool
Konate is set to become a free agent
It has always been Liverpool’s goal to keep Konate, who joined from RB Leipzig for £36m in the summer of 2021. He was considered an important part of the squad, especially as he had largely overcome injury problems over the past two seasons to improve his availability.
Reflecting this, Liverpool began contract negotiations with the France international in November 2023, with the final three years of his contract just beginning. As recently as April, Konate suggested he and the club were “close to an agreement”.
Sky Sports News We understand that Liverpool have shown a willingness to offer significantly improved terms to Konate. But they could not reach an agreement.
Liverpool, the highest wage spenders in world football, have shown in the past that they are willing to shell out cash to retain their stars through extensions for Van Dijk and Salah. In this case, it appears that their assessment of Konate does not align with his values.
The club has a strict salary structure and has a major recruitment drive ahead in the summer, so financial sustainability must be kept in mind. No matter who the player is, if they don’t fit the structure, a renewal will likely be impossible, regardless of Liverpool’s willingness to keep the player.
How Liverpool plan to cope without him
Liverpool believe they have signed the best young centre-backs in Italy and France with Leoni, signed for £26m from Parma last summer, and Jacques, signed for £60m from Rennes in July. They definitely offer more options in Slots.
However, Leoni is an injury concern after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) on his Liverpool debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup last September. Jacqué’s issues may seem less problematic on the surface, but he has been out since February with a shoulder problem.
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Both players reportedly return for pre-season, making them one of three senior central defensive options available in the slot alongside Gomez, while Van Dijk is expected to feature in the World Cup against the Netherlands.
The summer tour of the United States will be the first opportunity for Liverpool fans to see their new signing in the flesh. But Leoni, 19, in July, and Jacquet, 21, don’t bring a wealth of experience, and with so much time on their hands, you may soon be reluctant to rely too much on them.
Meanwhile, Gomez is entering the final year of his contract with Liverpool and has been the subject of much transfer speculation. The defender could have left on deadline day last summer but decided to stay after Marc Guehi’s move to Anfield fell through.
Liverpool have been relying on Gomez frequently this season due to an injury crisis at right-back with Conor Bradley breaking his leg and Jeremy Frimpong’s hamstring problem.
Gomez has continued to have persistent injury problems, and even if Liverpool hold on to him this summer, history will show that he is not someone who can be relied on to play too often.
Certainly Jacquet is set to be Van Dijk’s centre-back partner due to the price he signed for and his relative age compared to Leoni, but with Konate gone there are still serious issues for Liverpool to address at the heart of their defense this summer.
Another urgent priority for Liverpool
Inspiring Salah bids farewell to Anfield
Liverpool could do without losing another regular first-team starter when their priority in the transfer window is to address the gaps in their forward line. Slots were extremely short as Salah’s sending off and Ektike’s injury made him unpredictable.
RB Leizpig’s Yan Diomande appears to be Liverpool’s top target on the right wing to replace Salah. But they face stiff competition for his signature with Manchester City and Manchester United among Europe’s top clubs interested in the 19-year-old.
Diomande is valued at around £86m (€100m) by Leipzig, who are keen to discuss a new deal with the teenager, who currently earns less than £35,000 per week before bonuses, but the German club are not ruling out a sale if the right offer comes along.
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With Manchester United and Liverpool eyeing a potential move for Yann Diomande, take a look at his goals and assists so far for RB Leipzig.
Liverpool are taking a mixed approach to replace Salah as they believe there is no comparable replacement, especially in terms of numbers. Frimpong, who was brought in as a right-back, also showed that he can play higher up the pitch if needed.
Preparation for life after Salah began last summer with the arrival of Ekitike and Alexander Isaac. When both are fit, Liverpool cover well in the middle and can also play on the left. However, both players have availability issues.
Of course, Ektike is out for an extended period of time with one of the most complicated injuries a footballer can suffer, while Isak missed 31 games for Liverpool last season. That’s more than the total 22 games he played in. It is important that his availability improves.
The emergence of 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha improves the options on the left. Liverpool are keen not to block the teenager’s path to the first team, but he is not ready to be relied upon as a regular starter. Meanwhile, another option, Cody Gakpo, has had a disappointing season by his standards.
Finding a versatile striker like Diomande who primarily plays on the right-hand side would be crucial for Liverpool to address some of their current shortcomings in attack. The urgency of signing a defender will now increase. Liverpool have a lot of work to do.
