Michael Owen predicts if Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate could become as good as Virgil van Dijk

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Liverpool made it five wins from six in the Premier League this season with a 2-1 win away at Wolves on Saturday night.

Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah were on the scoresheet as Arne Slot’s marched on to the top of the Premier League table in a weekend where Manchester City dropped even more points after a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United.

With Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister winning praise from Slot after full-time, it was another strong performance from Liverpool in what is turning out to be quite a season for the Anfield side under their new manager.

And Michael Owen has now predicted if Konate could one day become as good as club captain Virgil van Dijk.

Owen predicts huge future for Liverpool defender Konate

Speaking on Premier League Productions, the former Anfield superstar tipped the French international to have a huge future at Liverpool, with Owen even envisioning Konate to potentially hit Van Dijk’s levels of quality in the coming years.

Indeed, Konate believed he should have been Man of the Match against Wolves this weekend, such was the defender’s performance away at Molineux, and Owen now believes the former RB Leipzig star could have what it takes to replace a club legend like Van Dijk.

READ MORE: Everything to know on Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk from his tattoo to net worth

Owen said when asked about the Liverpool defender’s potential: “Konate already established, well established as a top centre-half. Brilliant centre-half, he’s got everything, and I think he could be the future.

“Virgil van Dijk is really in the peak of his powers at the moment, but Konate has still got a bit to learn. He is still a bit younger as well. Look forward to seeing him improve and maybe even get to Virgil’s standard one day. You never know.”

Konate could become one of the world’s best if he can shake off injury problems

Konate’s issue has never been his individual quality, with the 25-year-old, on his day and fully fit, is one of the best defenders in the Premier League and a centre-back who looks completely at home alongside the likes of Van Dijk.

Yet as Liverpool fans are far too aware, Konate’s problem is staying fit the majority of the time to maintain his spot in the starting XI, with the defender making just 22 Premier League appearances last season.

If Konate is to become one of the best in the world and to succeed Van Dijk at Liverpool, the centre-back needs to overcome his fitness issues, something the defender can work on the older he gets.