Liverpool are “confident” about signing an upgrade on Ibrahima Konate, with the Frenchman reportedly becoming a concern for the Reds.
Konate was shocking in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat away to Manchester City in the Premier League, as he continues a poor season on a personal note.
Some are frustrated that the Frenchman may have lost focus amid reported interest from Real Madrid, and failing to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace feels more damaging by the week.
Now, speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown claimed that Liverpool have belief in finding an upgrade on Konate, having had “concerns about him for a while” now:
“Liverpool are looking at who they could get to replace Konate,” Brown said.
“They’re confident they can upgrade on him, because they’ve had concerns about him for a while and they were on show again in that game against Man City. There was a definite ploy by City to make Liverpool play to Konate and let him have the ball.
“Then they would press, because he’s liable to make a mistake, and that’s all you need to know about how he is viewed in that Liverpool team. So from their perspective, there are players out there who they can bring in to upgrade on him, so I don’t think they’re worried about whether he might leave.
“Whether it’s Real Madrid or Bayern Munich or any team in Europe, if he’s not signing a contract, they’ll be preparing for a future without him. I think they’re prepared to let that happen, and then it’s just about who they can get in.”
Liverpool fans running out of patience with Konate
Konate has been one of Liverpool’s worst players this season, too often cutting an error-prone figure, as was the case against City over the weekend.
The 26-year-old isn’t doing much to justify earning a new Reds deal, should he want one, and he is fortunate that the depth isn’t there in the squad to leave him out.
It is encouraging that Liverpool believe they can bring in an upgrade on Konate if he does leave in 2026, though, with Guehi hopefully still at the top of their wishlist.
Big improvements are needed from the France international once domestic action returns later this month, or Joe Gomez may have to be drafted in.
