Ibrahima Konate will depart Liverpool when his contract concludes next month.
The defender, who arrived from RB Leipzig in a £35m ($47 million) transfer five years ago, expressed his desire to remain for the long haul just moments after the 2-1 victory over Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium last month.
Nevertheless, after months of intensive negotiations between the player’s representatives and the club, no agreement was finalized, meaning Konate will leave as a free agent at the end of June, as per
Despite what appeared to be an encouraging update just last month, Konate now looks set to bring an end to his five-year spell with the Reds after nearly three years without a contract resolution.
Konate stated on April 19: “For sure there is a big chance I’m here next season. This is what I always wanted.
“To be fair, there are many things people have said, but for a long time we have spoken with the club and we are [now] close to an agreement. I think everyone wished for that for as long as possible but we are in a good way.”
Konate’s contract, signed as a 22-year-old upon his arrival from Leipzig in 2021, was never improved or extended, and the gulf between what the club was willing to offer and what the player’s representatives were demanding is understood to have proven insurmountable.
This development represents a significant blow to Liverpool’s summer squad-building ambitions, with 19-year-old Leoni only recently returning from a lengthy injury layoff and new addition Jacquet not turning 21 until mid-July, alongside Van Dijk, who will be entering the final year of his contract when he reaches 35 in July.
The news coincides with Tottenham Hotspur closing in on a deal for AFC Bournemouth center-back Marcos Senesi, a player who had been strongly linked with a move to Anfield in recent weeks.
Konate struggled to find his rhythm during a turbulent season for Slot’s Reds, which saw them suffer 19 defeats across all competitions. In December, after a 3-3 tie with Leeds United, Slot criticized his defender for being “a bit too much on the crime scene” following a penalty concession at Elland Road.
The French international was subsequently given compassionate leave in January after the passing of his father, Hamady, but made his comeback with a goal in an impressive 4-1 victory over Newcastle United later that month.
Overall, Konate registered 183 appearances for the club and leaves having secured the Premier League title, the FA Cup and two League Cups during his spell on Merseyside.