Liverpool could now be set to lose yet another star this summer after it emerged that a European giant now want to lure one of their talents away from Anfield before the 2025/26 campaign.
Liverpool lead at the top thinning
A controversial late James Tarkowski goal ended the final Goodison Park derby as a 2-2 draw, stretching Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points with 14 games left to play, before Arsenal trimmed that to four on Saturday with a 2-0 win at Leicester.
Arne Slot’s side are flying across all competitions, having lost just once in the Premier League and topping the Champions League first phase too, winning seven of their eight games.
Related
His value has soared by 126%: Liverpool have hit the jackpot on “machine”
He’s grown into one of the best players in the Premier League.
Though they were shocked by Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, they have a chance at early silverware when they take on Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley in a month’s time, while they are well placed in both other competitions to scoop silverware by the end of the campaign.
However, off the pitch it is a different story; there has been very little movement publicly on the contract situations of any of Liverpool’s key trio, with Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold all set to walk away for nothing at the end of the campaign as things stand.
With Salah having provided 36 goal contributions in the Premier League alone this season, it would be a massive blow were Liverpool to lose him, let alone financially when you consider how much it would cost to sign anyone even close to his level in the summer.
The same can be said for Van Dijk, whose performances at the heart of defence continue to be the backbone to their success, though Trent’s departure would be eased by the emergence of Conor Bradley.
However, there could now be another departure from Anfield in an unwelcome turn of events for Slot and co.
PSG want to sign “elite” Liverpool ace
That comes courtesy of a report from ESPN, which reports that Paris Saint Germain are now eyeing up a move to sign Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate this summer as they look to continue their impressive squad building.
There had been reports that the French giants were also keen on a move for Mo Salah, but with no decision yet on his contract it is unclear whether they will resurface. However, the Parisians may raid Anfield nonetheless, with the French champions “keen to sign” Konate and bring him back to Paris, where he was born.
|
Ibrahima Konate this season (Premier League) |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
18 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Clean sheets |
8 |
|
Points per game |
2.4 |
Still just 25-years-old, Konate has been a key player for Slot, who was full of praise for his defender just last month: “He’s already very good. He’s a centre-back who, without even touching the ball, is impressive because he is so strong and tall.”
Meanwhile, one EFL Football Analyst took to X to dub his partnership with Van Dijk “elite”.
However, the French international is in the final 18 months of his £70,000 a week deal at Anfield, and though he has been offered a new contract no update on an agreement has been forthcoming, meaning that this summer could be Liverpool’s last chance to cash in on their asset to avoid a repeat of the sagas of this season.
Worse still for the Reds, Konate is said to be “tempted by a return to the city of his birth” and is “interested” in a move to PSG, where he would partner Marquinhos with the view to becoming their star centre-back in the years to come. Can Liverpool afford to let him leave as well?
