Fabrizio Romano has suggested that Liverpool could be closing in on agreeing a new contract with one current Reds player.
Fans have been nervously awaiting significant news on Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, whose existing deals all expire in just over eight months’ time, but it’s one of their teammates who looks set to put pen to paper first.
Romano shares Liverpool contract update
In an update on his YouTube channel, Romano outlined that talks over a new contract for Ibrahima Konate are progressing well and that club and player merely need to thrash out a few more details before the Frenchman signs on the dotted line, which he’s more than happy to do.
The Italian transfer guru explained: “Liverpool are making very good progress in negotiations with Ibrahima Konate. The expectation at Liverpool is that Ibou Konate will be the next one to reach an agreement on a new contract. The salary is almost agreed; it’s about some details of the contract.
“There are more things to clarify with the player and his agents, but Ibou Konate is very happy at Liverpool. He can feel how important he is for Liverpool and also for the new manager Arne Slot. Ibou Konate is fully expected to sign a new deal at Liverpool.”
(Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Konate has been a key player for Liverpool this season
For many Liverpool fans, there are more pressing contractual matters which need addressing urgently, but it’s still pleasant to hear that Konate seems close to extending his deal at Anfield, which at present runs to 2026.
The 25-year-old endured a difficult end to last season but has looked revitalised under Slot, being thrown into the fray at half-time against Ipswich on the opening day of the Premier League campaign and not looking back since then.
With averages of 3.6 successful aerial duels, 3.4 clearances and 0.7 blocks, the Frenchman ranks second in the Reds’ squad for each of those metrics, while he also has the second-best passing success rate (91.5%) of anyone to start more than one top-flight match for us so far this term (WhoScored)
Those figures all underline how vital an impact he’s had over the past couple of months, and he’s even chipped in with two goals, putting him halfway towards meeting his personal target for the season.
We’re all still waiting on contract news on Salah, Trent and Van Dijk, but it represents a smart move to get Konate tied down so that next year he doesn’t find himself in the same ‘will-he-won’t-he’ situation as that trio of teammates.
You can view Romano’s update on Konate below (from 5:38), via Fabrizio Romano on YouTube: