Contract talks collapsed and the centre-back will be the fourth Liverpool player in two years to leave on a free
Ibrahima Konate will leave Liverpool when his contract expires at the end of June.
But there will be many fans with questions about the club’s decision to allow a third member of the squad to leave on a free transfer this summer, following the departures of Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson.
That is not to mention the decision to also allow Trent Alexander-Arnold leaving last year, even if Real Madrid’s urgency led to Liverpool getting around £10m for him.
Liverpool have genuine reasons for letting him go of course. Only time will tell if it was a wise decision or a poor one. Here’s all you need to know about Konate’s exit.
Why is Konate leaving?
The fundamental issue was money. Liverpool wanted Konate to stay and discussions over a new contract had been running for well over a year. Preliminary talks began in late 2023 and continued after sporting director Richard Hughes arrived at the club in June 2024. However, there was too wide a gap between the player’s expectations and what the club were willing to pay.
Konate is already among Liverpool’s better-paid players, earning around £150,000 a week, but he was seeking a substantial increase that would place him alongside the club’s highest earners.
Liverpool’s view was different. They recognised his importance and did not want to lose him, but they did not believe his performances justified the level of financial commitment being requested.
The club’s wage bill is already among the largest in England and the club are generally reluctant to hand out contracts they believe may become burdensome later.
About two months ago, Konate said that he and his representatives “have spoken with the club and we are close to an agreement”, but people close to the situation have said club chiefs were surprised to hear that, since in their thinking they were no closer to reaching an agreement.
Talks have ultimately collapsed and with no contract agreed, Konate will leave as a free agent.
Liverpool FC can confirm Ibrahima Konate is set to leave the club upon the expiry of his contract this summer.
Konate will depart with our gratitude and appreciation for the contribution he made and everyone at the club wishes him the best for the future.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 31, 2026
Konate’s form has affected his value
Konate joined Liverpool in 2021 and at his best, he was indispensable. His partnership with Virgil van Dijk formed the foundation of the club’s successes since. Across his first three seasons at Anfield he regularly proved himself to be one of the Premier League’s best defenders.
But Konate’s form has plummeted over the past two seasons. His game has been full of errors and he has repeatedly been called out by pundits. Even manager Arne Slot said this season that the defender was always “a bit too much at the crime scene”.
Virgil van Dijk may also have struggled with form as well, but Konate has often been the face of Liverpool’s defensive woes. A move to Real Madrid was mooted but earlier this season the Spanish club ruled out a move for him. His form may have played a role.
If Konate had been at the top of his game, then perhaps Liverpool could have been convinced to make him one of their highest earners. Their conclusion was that he was not worth it.
Who will replace him?
Liverpool have two young and highly rated centre-backs who have almost never kicked a ball for the club: Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet.
Leoni joined last season from Parma for £26m, but then he sustained an ACL injury in his first game for the club in the League Cup against Southampton, but he is expected to return next season.
A deal for Jacquet was agreed earlier this year and he will arrive from Stade Rennais this summer for £60m. He missed the second half of this season after suffering from a shoulder injury, but he has recovered and should be lining up for Liverpool in the new season.
The only challenge might be that those are two young and relatively inexperienced players. Still, Joe Gomez is still at the club for next season, with one year left on his contract. There is also, of course, Van Dijk and the club will be eyeing another defender in the summer, even if their main priority might be signing wing players.
