Ibrahima Konate‘s talks over a brand new contract at Liverpool are reported to have progressed in current days, because the Frenchman enters the ultimate 12 months of his deal.
Konate was one in all Arne Slot‘s most-used gamers all through the marketing campaign simply gone, with solely 5 others taking part in extra minutes.
He defied issues over his health and continued to indicate world-class kind alongside Virgil van Dijk – a far cry from day one in opposition to Ipswich when he began on the bench.
It comes as no shock that Liverpool are desperate to tie their No. 5 all the way down to a brand new contract then, although negotiations haven’t proved simple.
However the Liverpool Echo‘s Paul Gorst has now claimed that talks between Liverpool and Konate’s agent “progressed in late Could.”
Whereas that is no assure a deal shall be agreed, it’s actually encouraging after the participant himself dismissed rumours over the state of affairs as “fully pretend.”
“They made me a suggestion, and I replied to them with one thing, that’s it,” he instructed reporters final month.
“The remainder, that I need to wait till the tip [of his contract], all of it’s fully pretend.”
Actual Madrid have been credited with an curiosity in Konate on account of his contract state of affairs, however there’s seemingly no intention to run down his phrases earlier than a free switch as was Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s plan.
Konate has insisted he’s “very completely happy” at Liverpool and there’s each motive for the membership to really feel the identical approach in regards to the defender they signed for £35 million in 2021.
It’s more likely to be a drawn-out course of because of the enhance in wage anticipated, with the Instances reporting that Konate’s camp are looking for a pay rise from £80,000 every week to nearer to £200,000 every week.
Whereas that could be a vital increase in wages it’s in step with the participant’s significance to Slot’s aspect, and having turned 26 in Could it might be considered as his greatest alternative for an enormous contract.
Liverpool had explored a £50 million deal for Spain centre-back Dean Huijsen, previous to his resolution to affix Actual Madrid from Bournemouth, however it stays to be seen if there are additional designs on a brand new central defender.
The membership can have contingency plans in place, in fact, within the occasion Konate pulls out of negotiations and a sale is pressured via.
However all indicators are that this can be a state of affairs that may finally attain a constructive conclusion for each participant and membership.
