Liverpool could be set to lose some big names at the end of the 2024/25 season.
As the whole world will know by now, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold may all leave for nothing next May.
Debate will rage about which one of those players Liverpool could do with hanging onto the most. All are absolutely key.
However, given that Liverpool’s success under Arne Slot so far has been based on a rock-solid defence, it could be argued that Van Dijk is the one the Reds must keep at any cost.
Some would perhaps counter that by saying that Ibrahima Konate has been better than Van Dijk and has shown that there is life beyond the Liverpool captain.
If Virgil does leave, then, Konate would become one of Slot’s key men overnight. Unfortunately, though, the Frenchman’s good form is earning him admiring glances from elsewhere, too.
Paris FC could look to bring back Ibrahima Konate
Konate has always had the potential to be one of the best centre-backs in Europe and is happily now realising that.
The 25-year-old has had a relatively steady journey to the top, starting his career as a youngster with local club Paris FC, before making his senior breakthrough at Sochaux and then onto RB Leipzig and Liverpool.
Paris FC obviously play second fiddle in Konate’s home city, but the Ligue 2 side have been in the news recently as they prepare to be taken over by the powerful Arnault family in partnership with Red Bull.
And as the takeover draws closer, Bernard Arnault has given a press conference detailing his plan for the club.
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As part of that, Arnault was asked whether he would be looking to bring back some of the club’s former players, with Konate mentioned as an example.
“The idea is to train young people, then, if a former member of the club’s training team wants to come and form the backbone of the club, why not,” he said via RMC Sport.
“It’s a possibility, but not the group’s basic strategy.”
Ibrahima Konate contract latest
With Konate captaining France during the most recent international break, his star is on the rise back in his home country.
This could potentially spell danger for Liverpool, with the defender’s current contract having only 18 months to run.
Konate has been asked about joining PSG in the past and it’s clear that he would now be of real interest to the French champions.
Thankfully, Liverpool are pushing to sort a new contract for Konate and every indication is that the No.5 wants to stay at Anfield in the long-term.
Given his past affiliation with the club, Red Bull and, of course, Jurgen Klopp, it would maybe not be a surprise to see Konate head to Paris FC at some point in the future. Until then, though, he’s still got plenty to achieve at Liverpool.
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