Why Richard Hughes is facing an Ibrahima Konate PROBLEM at Liverpool

Ibrahima Konate should’ve already put pen to paper on a new long-term deal at Liverpool.

Even if his performances hadn’t merited it, a new contract should’ve been a formality for the France centre-back, if only to protect his value.

The 25-year-old was linked with a move to hometown club Paris Saint-Germain in the summer and there’s talk that Real Madrid could be in the market for a centre-back in the near future having missed out on one-time Liverpool transfer target Leny Yoro. Florentino Perez loves an opportunistic signing and Konate would certainly fall into that category.

Konate, who is reportedly one of the candidates to succeed Kylian Mbappe as the captain of France, is in the final two years of his deal with the Reds. Reports have suggested there are plans to extend his stint on Merseyside and Fabrizio Romano recently claimed it is “considered a matter of time”, implying it is a case of when and not if the former RB Leipzig man pens a contract extension.

If this is the case, Liverpool can count themselves extremely lucky.

He could be leveraging his situation to get the best deal.

The No.5 is currently in the form of his life. He’s been one of the best defenders in the world this season after what was something of a rough start to the campaign.

Konate wasn’t part of the starting XI for Liverpool’s season opener against Ipswich Town. Arne Slot opted to go with Jarell Quansah alongside Virgil van Dijk. The Dutch tactician brought the Frenchman on at half-time after the young English centre-back had struggled against the physicality of the Tractor Boys.

The Reds recorded a 2-0 win and Konate has been in the starting XI ever since.

It was a sliding doors moment for the 2021 summer signing. An injury towards the end of the 2023/24 campaign limited his game time and it appeared Quansah had leapfrogged him in the pecking order under Jurgen Klopp. As a result, he lost his place in the France team and could only watch on from the sidelines as William Saliba got the nod for Les Bleus at Euro 2024.

In the blink of an eye, it felt as though Konate went from the next best thing to someone who was destined never to fulfil his potential. Football fans are very reactionary but so are football clubs.

Who knows what might’ve happened had Quansah not struggled against Ipswich Town? Who knows what might’ve happened had Konate picked up yet another knock early on this term?

We’d be having a different conversation right now, that is for sure.

He’s playing his best football right now for the Reds and he’s showing a robustness that had previously been missing. Konate has always had injury issues. He’d put together a few games and then miss a handful. It is one of the reasons why he’s yet to break 1,600 minutes in the English top-flight during a single season as a Liverpool player.

To say it was frustrating would be an understatement. But he’s appeared in all 11 Premier League matches this term, starting 10 and he’s racked up close to 900 minutes. He’s also made four starts in the Champions League.

He’s likely going to be rewarded for this form with a new deal. It will be more than deserved. But this should’ve been sorted out months ago. Someone of Konate’s profile and age should not be getting into the final two years of their deal. If he wasn’t as sold on Liverpool as he is, the Reds would’ve been in serious trouble in these negotiations.

The Reds can’ be relying on the goodwill of their players to make up for their incompetence behinds the scenes when it comes to contract renewals.