Report: RB Leipzig trying to stop Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate deal

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RB Leipzig are trying to stop Liverpool’s move for Ibrahima Konate, according to reports. The German side aren’t letting this one go through easily.

This comes from Kicker in Germany. They claim that RB Leipzig want to do what they can to stop Ibrahima Konate from joining Liverpool.

It’s a saga that has gone on for a little while now. The Athletic reported two months ago that Liverpool were close to a deal. The Guardian claimed a little while later that it was on the verge of being done.

Then things apparently hit a snag. The Times claims Liverpool would have to pay Konate’s £34m release clause in one lump sum – something they can’t easily do.

Still, Fabrizio Romano says everything is agreed and ready to go. Liverpool just need to put up that cash.

Yet that Kicker report states that RB Leipzig don’t see this as over. They’re offering Konate a new contract and hope he’ll sign it.

The deal bumps up his pay, naturally, but it would also remove his release clause. Without it, Konate would be worth far, far more than £34m.

So to sum up, this one is far from cut and dry.

RB Leipzig make late Konate push

This is very late in the day. The season is nearly done, terms are all apparently agreed but Leipzig won’t give up. And why would they?

Konate is a 21-year-old centre-back who’s proven at both Bundesliga and Champions League level. He appears to have all the potential in the world – Leipzig will be gutted to lose that for £34m.

He could legitimately be worth more than twice that, if Leipzig were able to negotiate a price.

But really, we still feel confident about this one. Liverpool just need to feel secure enough to pay the release clause outright – perhaps Champions League qualification could do that.

If things are already agreed, though, we don’t see why Konate would back out to tie himself down to a long-term Leipzig deal. He’s always had the option to do that and has never taken it. Football can surprise, of course, but it would be a strange move.