Liverpool manager Arne Slot has yet to make his first signing as manager of the club and only has a few weeks left to do so before the summer transfer window slams shut.
The Reds are reportedly confident that they can get a deal over the line to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad to bolster their midfield options, though, as the Dutchman’s maiden addition.
Whilst there will, understandably from supporters, be a focus on who the club can go out and sign to improve the team, the new manager will also want to run the rule over players who could move on from Anfield.
In fact, the former Feyenoord head coach has already been left unconvinced by one Liverpool star who should now be ruthlessly ditched this summer.
Liverpool star’s future in doubt
According to Football Insider, Slot is not convinced by central defender Ibrahima Konate and that has cast some doubt over his future at the club.
The report claims that the early signs have not been ‘positive’ for the France international after his short time working with the Dutchman on the training pitch and in pre-season so far.
It states that the former RB Leipzig man’s performances on the pitch, both in matches and in training, have left the head coach unconvinced, whilst his injury record is also a concern.
Football Insider adds that one source claimed that Slot ‘doesn’t fancy’ the centre-back and that does not bode well for him and his game time ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
With this information in mind, Liverpool and the boss must now ruthlessly ditch the French dud before the summer transfer window slams shut.
Why Liverpool should cash in on Ibrahima Konate
Firstly, his injury issues are a big concern as he has consistently struggled to remain fit for large spells of seasons, which makes him an unreliable option.
Since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, Konate has never missed fewer than eight games through injury in a season and has been absent for a staggering 85 matches for club and country.
This means that Slot cannot rely upon him to be available as a regular starter as his track record suggests that he will not be fit enough to play week-in-week-out in the Premier League.
|
23/24 Premier League |
Ibrahima Konate |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
22 |
|
Starts |
17 |
|
Tackles + interceptions per game |
2.5 |
|
Error led to goal |
1 |
|
Duel success rate |
66% |
As you can see in the table above, Konate was a dominant defender, winning an impressive 66% of his duels with opposition attackers, in the top-flight during the 2023/24 campaign.
However, the report from Football Insider claims that Slot has been left unconvinced by the £70k-per-week dud’s performances and that could mean that there are elements of his defending, not picked up by a stats sheet, that he does not like.
That is backed up by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher urging the club to sign a new centre-back in April, when he described Konate as being “really poor”.
Earlier this summer, Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain were linked with an interest in Konate, and Liverpool must now attempt to drum up interest in the French defender and cash in on him, in order to bring in a more reliable centre-back option who the manager is convinced by.
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