Liverpool to allow Konate exit on free transfer amid contract stalemate
Negotiations have collapsed between Liverpool and Ibrahima Konate, with the 27-year-old French international poised to leave on a free transfer when his contract expires.
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate is set to leave the club on a free transfer when his current contract expires in June, following a breakdown in negotiations over wages and contract value. The 27-year-old French international failed to reach an agreement with the club despite initial hopes for a renewal, joining Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah as recent high-profile departures from Anfield without a transfer fee.
BBC Sport understands that negotiations have ceased, and Konate will exit the club quietly without saying goodbye. The Frenchman, who signed for Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2021 for £35m, had previously indicated a desire to remain at the club. In April, after the Merseyside derby, he told reporters he was "close to an agreement" and implied he wanted to stay, even urging journalists to speak with sporting director Richard Hughes.
Liverpool’s management has cited financial equilibrium and squad resource allocation as reasons for not meeting his demands. The club believes that other areas, such as replacing Mohamed Salah and covering for Hugo Ekitike’s injury, take precedence over an expensive renewal for Konate. Manager Arne Slot had described Konate as "vital" but admitted that talks would not occur if the club did not want him to remain.
The departure leaves Liverpool with limited depth in the centre-back position. Virgil van Dijk, 34, remains the only other experienced option alongside Joe Gomez, 29. New signings face significant injury concerns: Jeremy Jacquet, 20, missed the last four months with a shoulder injury, while Giovanni Leoni, 19, is ruled out for a year after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in September.
Konate’s next move is expected to be decided after the World Cup, contingent on wage agreements with potential suitors. While speculation has linked him with a move to Real Madrid, any concrete interest is premature as the Spanish club’s new manager, Jose Mourinho, has not yet assessed the squad. The situation leaves the defender in a precarious position, unable to stay at the club he said he truly wanted to remain at.
