Despite Paris Saint-Germain’sinterest,Liverpool center-back Ibrahima Konate has made it clear that he would be content to remain at Anfield.
If the Reds defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday at Anfield, they could increase their lead at the top of the Premier League standings to seven points.
But as the season draws to a close, some supporters are worried that players like Virgil van Dijk, whose contract expires at the end of 2024–2025, might leave the team.
Center-back Konate gave manager Arne Slot a boost by expressing his desire to play a role in the team’s future: “To be in this club, this means a lot ofthings because I’m a part of
Although Konate is nearing the end of his contract and has previously been linked to PSG, Liverpool supporters will be relieved by his remarks.
Why losing Konate would be too costly for Liverpool
Given that the Reds are the second-best defensive team in the Premier League with 23 goals given up, Konate has arguably been one of the best center backs in the league this season.
The Frenchman is excellent at isolating himself from attackers on the right channel, and his dexterity and strength have allowed him to keep Trent Alexander-Arnold from being exposed at the back.
Few defenders in the league can match his aerial dominance, and his 77.5% aerial win percentage is actually the highest.
Konate has struggled with injuries during his time at Anfield, but under Slot, the 25-year-old’sproblemsappear to have subsided given that he has already played 1,489 minutes in the Premier League, which is only 85 minutes short of his career high in England.
While left-back Andrew Robertson has been criticized for his performances this season, and some supporters have suggested Milos Kerkez and Rayan Ait-Nouri as possible replacements for the Scotsman, the Reds already face the possibility of losing both Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold this summer for nothing.
To minimize the backline’s disruption in the event that any of the three are replaced or depart Merseyside, Konate must be committed to a new contract.