Arsenal want Ibrahima Konate, according to reports. Liverpool supposedly want the 21-year-old.
This comes from the Evening Standard. They claim Arsenal want Ibrahima Konate and have him down as a summer transfer target.
But as the report says, they’d face competition from other big sides in Europe.
One of those would likely be Liverpool. The Mirror reported just before deadline day that the Reds had already told RB Leipzig of their ‘firm interest’.
Bild have previously claimed similar. They say Liverpool were told of a £36m release clause in Konate’s contract.
Subscribe to Rousing The Kop TV now
Then we’ve got other interested clubs. The Independent mentions Manchester United and Chelsea alongside Liverpool.
Competition, then, promises to be fierce.
What RTK has to say
This was supposed to be the easy one. We thought everyone would go after Dayot Upamecano, leaving Konate relatively free for Liverpool.
But no, it appears the rest of England had the same idea.
Upamecano, of course, joins Bayern Munich in the summer. His partner, Konate, looks destined to leave, too, however.
And if that release clause is accurate, this will be a competitive fight. Konate is a 21-year-old playing at the top level and who appears to have great potential.
Getting that for anything like £36m is a bargain and one clubs won’t pass up. We do wonder if it will come down to who offers first-team football, though.
We’re not sure Liverpool throw him in over Joe Gomez, for instance. But Arsenal might put Konate in their XI – it would certainly make sense to.
With that in mind, Liverpool don’t have a simple chase on, here. £36m is a fee most big clubs can afford if they like the player enough.
The Reds, then, may have to find a way to entice Konate that others can’t match.
