In a recent tweet, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has mentioned that Liverpool are set to sign Red Bull Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate on a five-year contract. It is understood that the Reds have already agreed on personal terms with the French centre-back after deciding to pay his release clause of around €35m in the next few days.
Ibrahima Konaté to Liverpool, here we go soon! The deal is set to be completed, personal terms agreed on a five-years contract.
Liverpool will pay the release clause to RB Leipzig in the next days [around €35m] in order to finalize the signing of Konaté. 🔴 #LFC https://t.co/N4OWqqXiGu
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 23, 2021
Konate’s Up And Down Season At Leipzig
It has been a campaign of mixed emotions for the Leipzig defensive ace as he has been sidelined for a lot of games because of multiple injuries. Despite his recent injury concerns, Konate has shown great character to fill in as a decent player in Julian Nagelsmann’s squad.
The 21-year-old has registered one goal in 18 appearances for the German outfit this term across all fronts. The Frenchman has caught the eye by averaging 0.8 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 1.8 clearances per game in the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League this season. He has even distributed the ball relatively well inside his half after making 84.4% of his attempted passes in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
As long as Konate can avoid getting injured, he has what it takes to become a class act in central defence over the next few seasons. At 21, he is a player on the rise, so Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp will do well to get him on board this summer.
Is Konate A Good Signing For The Reds?
Konate is a powerful presence inside his penalty box and can use his solid 1.94m frame to dominate the opposition and win some important aerial duels for his team. The French defensive ace is often quick to react to the danger and can time his tackles well to win the ball back on the defensive end of the field. Hence, he could prove to be a shrewd addition to Jurgen Klopp’s defensive department that has been ravaged by injuries this season.
Konate is a composed presence on the ball and excels at playing his way out from the back which could make him a good fit for Klopp’s brand of football at Anfield. He will also add some bite and steel to Liverpool’s backline and could help them challenge for some major trophies in the coming seasons.
Furthermore, Konate would serve as an upgrade over Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams at the Merseyside club and is good enough to earn a regular spot alongside Virgil Van Dijk at the centre of the Reds defence in the upcoming campaign. All in all, the French youngster would be a great signing for Klopp if he can get a deal over the line for him during this summer transfer period.
