Liverpool supporters are waking up to the news that Ibrahima Konate is expected to leave the club after five years of largely excellent service.
The Frenchman has had a difficult season, like many of his teammates, but was brilliant as Virgil van Dijk’s partner on the way to Liverpool winning the league in 2025.
A key player under Arne Slot, Konate has likely already been replaced by 20-year-old Jeremy Jacquet. However, with Jacquet needing time to settle in alongside fellow youngster Giovanni Leoni, Liverpool will need one more centre-back this summer as well.
Has Konate lived up to his potential, or does he leave having not quite reached it?
The curtain comes down on five up and down years as a Red 😓
As it happens, previously linked Borussia Dortmund star Nico Schlotterbeck has already agreed a mechanism allowing him to join the Reds in the coming six weeks despite signing a new deal at Westfalendstadion in April.
Liverpool can trigger Schlotterbeck release clause
As uncertainty grew over Konate throughout the season, links to Schlotterbeck emerged, who at the time was doubtful over signing his own contract extension with Dortmund.
The 26-year-old ultimately put any doubts to one side to sign on with the Black and Yellows, but as German journalist Florian Plettenberg reported in mid-April, the contract does not make it impossible for Schlotterbeck to leave this summer.
“Now confirmed, as revealed yesterday on our show Transfer Update: Liverpool (alongside Real Madrid) are also one of the few clubs that can activate a release clause for Nico Schlotterbeck this summer,” said the journalist.
READ MORE: Who Ibrahima Konate’s next club is most likely to be as centre-back fails to agree Liverpool stay
“The fee is around €50-60 million. The release clause is not valid for the entire summer transfer window. According to [journalist] Maximilian Wessing, it expires around the time of the World Cup final (19 July).”
Liverpool surely front-runners for Schlotterbeck
The imminent arrival of Jacquet makes it less pressing for Liverpool to sign another centre-back.
Given the fee the Reds paid to sign him, the youngster is clearly being tapped as a long-term regular starter, likely alongside Leoni.
However, with Virgil van Dijk probably leaving next year, Liverpool really need to do some more business.
Schlotterbeck would look like a good gap-bridger between Van Dijk leaving and the young duo really finding their feet, and this release clause seemingly makes it very easy for Liverpool to sign him.
There will be plenty of others on the radar for the Reds, but history has shown that Liverpool do love a release clause, and given a spot in their starting XI has just opened up, this would make all the sense in the world.
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