There is no denying that Liverpool’s domestic Premier League title defence in the 2025/26 campaign has not been what anyone at the club would have hoped for, but at least as we approach the summer off season there seems to be one potential departure headache that can be taken off the proverbial transfer plates.
With the club sat in fifth place in the top flight table, with three wins in the last six there is still room for improvement, but the weekend’s demanded and expected victory over Everton keeps us within three points of third spot, and seven points clear of sixth placed Chelsea. For supporters travelling in, getting Liverpool FC tickets online is a must and with the month of May almost with us, attentions slowly turn to summer transfer window plans for the summer and travel arrangements next term when the fixtures are announced.
If Ibrahima Konate’s latest words can be believed, the 26 year old centre half will not be one of the names that features regularly on the speculation rumour mill moving forward as he has stated that he is now ‘close to an agreement’ with the club to secure his future up for the next few years. The Frenchman’s existing deal comes to an end this summer following his arrival five years ago from RB Leipzig for a fee of £35 million, and he confirmed the news following the Merseyside win stating that there was a ‘big chance’ he would be here at the start of the next campaign.
He added that he had already told sporting director Richard Hughes that his future had never been in doubt and that was his outlook right at the beginning of negotiations, dismissing all the speculation that has filled the media in the past few weeks and months that he would likely be leaving for Spanish La Liga giants (or others), and offering that as an explanation for his undeniable poorer form earlier in the campaign.
Admitting that getting the new deal over the line on his extension had taken longer than he had hoped for (likely the prioritising of the futures of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah last season which had also been left until the final 12 months), he insisted Hughes would confirm that he had no intention of leaving and that it had been clearly stated back in September.
With 113 Premier League appearances to his name, with a top flight title, and FA Cup and EFL Cup lifted in that period, he admitted that this year we had not lived up to our own standards, and of course, that included his own poor form. Understandably that was not helped by the sad loss of his father at the turn of the year – although it should be noted he offered to return early from his compassionate leave because of our defensive injury situation at the point – and his form since has been back on an upward curve.
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