Liverpool risk losing key player as contract delay fuels speculation | OneFootball

Liverpool’s Konaté Contract Dilemma: A Saga in Waiting

Uncertainty Grows Over Konaté’s Future at Anfield

Liverpool have been here before. A key player approaches the final two years of his contract, negotiations stall, and speculation begins to swirl. This time, it’s Ibrahima Konaté, the 25-year-old centre-back who has been a crucial part of Liverpool’s defensive setup since arriving from RB Leipzig for €40 million in 2021.

According to Le Parisien, Liverpool have offered Konaté a new contract, but the Frenchman is in no rush to sign. His response when asked about an extension was telling. “Yes,” he admitted when asked whether an offer was on the table, before quickly adding, “That’s another conversation.”

For Liverpool, this is familiar territory. With Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold all in similar contract situations, the club faces a potential summer of uncertainty. The longer these negotiations drag on, the more leverage players gain—and the more nervous fans become.

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Interest from European Giants Lurks in the Background

It’s no surprise that elite clubs across Europe are monitoring the situation. Reports have linked Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain with interest in Konaté, though Le Parisien claims that PSG have denied any active pursuit.

Yet, Konaté’s own words in a recent Telefoot interview left little doubt that he is aware of his rising stock.

“Hearing big clubs like that being interested is very flattering, but now I’m focusing on this season; I want to win everything – take as many titles as possible.”

“Then everything that happens in relation to my contractual situation – it’s my agents, my advisors who take care of that.”

That last sentence is key. Konaté is biding his time, keeping his options open, and placing control of his next move in the hands of his representatives.

Liverpool’s Worrying Contract Trend

The situation with Konaté is part of a wider issue at Liverpool. The club have allowed too many key players to enter the final years of their contracts, leaving themselves vulnerable to either losing talent for reduced fees or being forced into late, high-pressure negotiations.

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By the time the 2025/26 season kicks off, Konaté’s deal will have just 12 months left. That’s a dangerous place to be, especially for a club entering a new era under Arne Slot.

If Liverpool truly see Konaté as a long-term pillar of their defence, they cannot afford to let this situation drift.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

For Liverpool fans, this situation is all too familiar—and it’s concerning. The club were forced into last-minute contract extensions for players they should have secured long before.

Now, it’s happening again. Konaté should be a priority renewal, yet here we are, with Liverpool seemingly allowing another key player to enter the final years of his deal without clarity.

And why wouldn’t Konaté wait? Salah, Van Dijk, and Alexander-Arnold—three of Liverpool’s most important players—are also uncertain about their futures. If they decide to leave, does Konaté really want to commit to a long-term project in flux?

It’s a new era under Arne Slot, but Liverpool’s contract management still feels reactive rather than proactive. If they are serious about keeping Konaté, they need to act now, rather than leaving themselves open to another avoidable transfer saga.