Liverpool under pressure as contract talks with defender hit impasse | OneFootball

Liverpool Face Defensive Uncertainty as Konaté Contract Talks Stall

Centre-back contract talks stall amid summer reshuffle

There is an uneasy silence around Ibrahima Konaté’s future at Liverpool, and it speaks volumes. While the headlines this summer have focused on the club’s spending spree — nearly £145.5 million on Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong — beneath the surface lies a lingering issue: Liverpool’s central defence remains unresolved.

With Konaté entering the final year of his deal next month, The Guardian reports that he has rejected the club’s initial contract offer. The structure of that offer, reportedly weighted towards performance-related targets rather than a solid base salary, has not impressed the 26-year-old or his representatives.

It is a negotiation Liverpool cannot afford to mishandle. The departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid this summer already left supporters stunned. That sale, albeit one that generated £10 million due to Madrid’s desire to include him for the Club World Cup, came far too late to reflect his true value. A repeat scenario with Konaté would only deepen concern.

Photo IMAGO

Other exits add pressure to defensive depth

Andy Robertson, too, is nearing the final year of his deal. While the club are reportedly open to selling the Scotland international to Atlético Madrid, the idea of losing two senior defenders within a year adds urgency to the issue.

Photo: IMAGO

The club have already sold Caoimhín Kelleher to Brentford for £18 million, while Jarell Quansah is closing in on a £35 million move to Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool have options — but few answers.

Guéhi on the radar as fallback option

Liverpool are monitoring Marc Guéhi, though interest from Newcastle and Tottenham could complicate matters. The England international has just 12 months left on his Crystal Palace contract and has made it clear he wants guaranteed minutes ahead of the World Cup.

Photo: IMAGO

Slot’s defensive puzzle remains incomplete. And unless the Konaté situation is resolved swiftly, it threatens to cast a shadow over Liverpool’s otherwise efficient transfer window.

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Liverpool fans will feel a twinge of déjà vu. Just months after watching Alexander-Arnold leave for a fee far below his true worth, there’s a growing fear that Konaté might follow the same route. And that fear isn’t unfounded.

The frustration is twofold. First, Konaté has been one of the few dependable figures in a back line riddled by inconsistency and injuries. Second, the fact that his contract negotiations were deprioritised in favour of others will feel like mismanagement to many. While Salah and Van Dijk needed extensions, letting Konaté drift into the final year of his deal sends the wrong message.

The issue isn’t just about wages, it’s about value. If Liverpool genuinely see Konaté as part of the club’s future, then a fair deal must reflect that. And if not, then the club must move swiftly to replace him, not scramble around in August when leverage is lost.

Losing a defender of his calibre without a plan would be negligent, especially when the likes of Robertson and Quansah are also on the way out. This summer should be about building, not scrambling. The fans expect clarity, and right now, there’s very little of it in defence.