In less than three months, Ibrahima Konate’s contract at Liverpool is due to expire.
Unless terms are agreed before June 30, the 26-year-old defender will become one of the most valuable free agents available in this summer’s transfer window.
Liverpool’s position has remained consistent: they want to keep Konate, but only on their terms. So far, negotiations have failed to produce a breakthrough. So what’s likely to happen next? Is there still room for a compromise, or are we witnessing the end of his five-year spell at Anfield?
What are we hearing about his future?
It’s rare for a player in his prime to face such uncertainty over his immediate future. By this stage, a direction is usually set, even if not publicly disclosed, yet Konate’s situation remains unresolved.
A few months ago, an exit looked the more likely outcome. Now, the picture is far less clear.
Liverpool have not given up on convincing Konate to stay, but club sources insist that there has been no breakthrough in talks and an agreement does not feel imminent. Those close to Konate have echoed that feeling when contacted by The Athletic.
But The Athletic has also been told by multiple sources with links to the dressing room that Konate staying at Anfield is currently viewed as more likely than him leaving. And so the uncertainty drags on.
The reasons for the delay are not entirely clear, either, although terms are the primary factor.
Talks between Liverpool and Konate began as far back as October 2024 and several offers have been tabled, to no avail. Konate currently earns around £150,000 a week and is seeking an increase that would bring him into line with some of the club’s higher earners.
For example, Florian Wirtz earns around £250,000 a week from Liverpool, including bonuses. Mohamed Salah, meanwhile, is on a deal worth around £400,000 a week, which increases significantly when bonuses and commercial endorsements are included, although Konate is not believed to be seeking that level of remuneration.
Ibrahima Konate may be seeking wages more in line with Florian Wirtz’s at Liverpool (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Liverpool sources insist no bid for Konate was received in January and the player was not pushing for a move, although he is free to speak to European clubs about a summer move. Konate may simply be waiting to assess concrete interest from elsewhere, but his options appear to be limited.
Real Madrid withdrew their interest before Christmas, as The Athletic revealed, and there have been no indications that they are going to rekindle it.
Bayern Munich’s potential need for extra defensive resources was eased in February when Dayot Upamecano extended his contract until 2030. Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked to him, but The Athletic has not heard any suggestions that they are preparing a move.
There are also sporting considerations for Konate. Clarity over Liverpool’s participation in next season’s Champions League could yet influence his thinking, with that picture set to sharpen in the coming weeks.
Who’s taking the biggest risk?
Liverpool, but that doesn’t mean it’s a straightforward decision. Extending Konate’s contract remains a complex case, with the club wary of overspending on renewals after the wage bill rose sharply to £428m in the year ending May 31, 2025, a figure expected to increase further following last summer’s recruitment.
In short, any deal must fit Liverpool’s structure, and while they want him to stay, it’s not a question of signing at any cost.
This time last year, despite plenty of contract activity, there was greater clarity over the setup of the squad. Renewals for Virgil van Dijk and Salah were only finalised in April, but their desire to stay was never in doubt. Trent Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, had already informed the club of his decision to join Real Madrid by March.
Konate’s case is less defined. Keeping him would provide valuable continuity, particularly as younger defenders such as Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni continue their development. Van Dijk is expected to remain for at least another season, but uncertainty surrounds Joe Gomez as he enters the final year of his deal, so Konate staying would help the defensive department.
Weighing up his form is another consideration. Although Konate has been guilty of some costly errors this season, particularly in the first half of the campaign, he has improved after Christmas and has remained injury-free.
Relations between Arne Slot and Konate have remained good (Peter Powell/AFP via Getty Images)
There is also recognition internally for how he has navigated a challenging season, especially the death of his father in January. He returned earlier than expected to support a squad stretched by defensive injuries.
The risk Konate takes by delaying his decision is slim, although the unfortunate twist of an injury would leave him in a precarious position.
As for Liverpool, losing a player of his profile — a Premier League winner, with five years’ experience at the club and still approaching his peak — would come as a blow and most likely require a replacement. They missed out on Marc Guehi last summer and have shown no intention of returning to the table for Lutsharel Geertruida, the versatile right-sided defender who was a loan target in January and has an option to join Sunderland for £20million in the summer, so other options would need to be considered.
What has Konate said?
Nothing specific about his future since November, when he said in a press conference with the France national team that a resolution would follow “very soon”.
Four months have passed since then and Konate has remained quiet, turning down post-match interview requests at Liverpool, and only talking about other issues when away with France.
The way he discussed the future at Liverpool in general during an interview with ESPN this week certainly didn’t sound like a player on the move, though. He spoke about the new arrivals at the club needing time to settle in and appeared to hint that he will be at Liverpool beyond the end of the season as he talked about the potential of winning the Premier League again.
“We bring new players, we will adapt, we will try to understand each other and at a point, with time, we will win a trophy,” he said.
“We will have success and when we win the Premier League or Champions League, people will forget every bad season we had because now we won the league last season. This is just part of the success and we have to be relaxed because we have amazing fans, we have to stay together, and the success will come for sure.”
What happens next?
The next fortnight will start to bring more clarity as the season draws to an end. Liverpool’s campaign hangs in the balance with crunch fixtures coming up, starting with the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City on Saturday, and then the PSG double-header in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Slot’s side also need a strong finish in the Premier League to remain in the top five and guarantee a place in next season’s Champions League.
For Konate, his focus will soon switch to the World Cup as he prepares to start the tournament for the favourites, France. Playing on the biggest stage as a free agent is almost unthinkable.
