Credit: Imago
Credit: Imago

Arne Slot's fire sale: FSG can make genius move with Ibrahima Konate contract extension

Harri Burton

Senior Correspondent AUTHORITY Senior football journalist specialising in refereeing and officiating; former contributor to The Football League Paper, Late Tackle, and the Premier League; University of Derby graduate. FOCUS Refereeing controversies, football finance and governance, PGMOL decisions, and officiating analysis across the Premier League, EFL, and SPFL. THE INSIGHT Harri utilises a network of officiating and industry contacts to deliver verified, expert analysis of refereeing decisions and PGMOL policy. He provides the regulatory clarity behind the controversy to ensure fans get the full picture.

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Arne Slot has made it clear that nobody is safe at Liverpool this summer, as the club weighs up a new contract for Ibrahima Konate.

The 26-year-old's current deal is set to expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, and despite strong links with Real Madrid, recent updates have suggested that an extension is on the cards.

Football Insider understands that Liverpool have plans for a new centre-back, and nothing should change on that front, with Slot sending out a clear message about a potential fire sale in a few weeks.

With £450million spent last summer, the 2025-26 campaign has rightly been classed as disastrous, now being knocked out of the Champions League, while the battle for a top-five Premier League finish continues.

Ibrahima Konate could still earn money for Liverpool

Serious changes are required at Anfield. Reports would suggest that not even Slot is safe ahead of next season, but it is the squad that needs a total revamp before a new campaign.

Partnering with Virgil van Dijk in defence for most of the season, it would be a surprise to see Konate simply allowed to leave on a free transfer, so a new contract would make a lot of sense.

However, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), headed by John Henry, could still decide to part ways with the France international. This way, though, the Reds would still get a sizeable fee for the defender.

Ibrahima KonateGamesGoalsAssists
Liverpool (2021-Current)17774

FSG have certainly split opinion at Anfield, but they could get a few more fans on their side by tying Konate down to a new contract before shipping him out, all with the idea of making a profit.

Star defender has already proven he's got no future at Anfield

Konate had one of his better performances in a while against PSG on Tuesday, 14 April, but it still wasn't enough to prevent the Reds from being knocked out of the Champions League.

With Jeremy Jacquet still to arrive and Giovanni Leoni still injured, Liverpool clearly have replacements for the Frenchman, but they are at serious risk of losing him for absolutely nothing this summer.

Mick Brown told Football Insider that Slot has Mohamed Salah and Konate to blame should he be sacked by the hierarchy, but don't be surprised if the defender puts pen to paper on a new deal soon.

It would be a smart way to raise some much-needed funds after Slot splashed the cash last summer, with several players likely to follow him out of the exit doors in the coming weeks.

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