In a recent tweet, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has mentioned that Liverpool are prepared to offer Red Bull Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate a five-year deal. It is understood that the Reds have identified him as one of their top targets for the summer transfer window but are yet to reach an agreement with the French centre-back.
Liverpool are still working to reach an agreement with Ibrahima Konaté. He’s one of the ‘top targets’ in the list and #LFC will be offering a five-years contract. Not done or agreed, as of today. RB Leipzig will only sell Konaté if the full release clase will be paid. 🔴 #LFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 17, 2021
Konate’s Season Of Mixed Emotions At The Red Bull Arena
Konate is having an up and down season in Germany as he has missed a lot of matches due to multiple injuries. Despite being sidelined for a significant chunk of this campaign, the Frenchman has done well to make 18 appearances for Julian Nagelsmann’s side this term, netting one goal in the process across all fronts.
When fit, the Paris-born talent has proven himself to a solid presence at the heart of the Leipzig backline by averaging 0.8 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 1.8 clearances per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League this season. The 21-year-old has even been excellent when distributing the ball from the back after completing 84.4% of his attempted passes in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
Konate’s current contract at the Red Bull Arena expires in the summer of 2023, so Nagelsmann has no immediate need to cash in on him unless any of his potential suitors, including Liverpool, decide to pay his full release clause.
Is Konate The Right Fit For Jurgen Klopp?
Konate is a tough-tackling defender who can scan the danger quickly and make some crucial interceptions at the back. Standing at 1.94, he is a strong presence in the air and has a great leap in him that allows him to win his fair share of aerial duels. The Leipzig youngster hardly gives away the ball when playing his way out from defence. Hence, we can expect the French sensation to be a good fit for the Reds as he would add some steel and a lot of quality to Jurgen Klopp’s defensive department if the Liverpool manager can find a way to get him on board this summer.
Furthermore, Konate has decent pace under his belt and can recover well to get back to his position and make a clearance when needed. Hence, he could serve as a good, no-nonsense defender in Klopp’s squad and would add some serious competition for the likes of Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Nathaniel Phillips in the race to nail down a regular starting place alongside Virgil Van Dijk at Anfield in the coming seasons.
At 21, he has still got plenty of time to develop his game and be a world-class centre-half someday. Klopp could be the perfect candidate to oversee his development and get the best out of him over the next few years. With all things considered, Konate will be a decent fit for the Merseyside outfit as he will be able to solidify their backline and help them compete for multiple trophies next season.
