Liverpool fans will be concerned as ‘very, very strange’ contract claim emerges amid Konate talks
Ibrahima Konate’s contract talks with Liverpool are, without question, very good news for the club.
The Frenchman has largely been in great form since subbing back into the first-XI during the Reds’ 2-0 win over Ipswich Town.
With his current terms set to expire in 2026, it makes sense that Richard Hughes and Co. are keen to tie the 25-year-old down on a new long-term contract.
What a shame, of course, that the same level of foresight hadn’t been applied to Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Paul Robinson concerned about Liverpool contracts amid Konate talks
To give some credit to Liverpool, the trio’s contract situations are hardly uncomplicated. A new deal for our No.66, for instance, has the potential to upset the apple cart when it comes to our wage structure.
An exception was already made once for Mo Salah, but will our sporting director be prepared to embrace financial chaos again to keep hold of our vice-captain?
Meanwhile, the very public nature of our positive talks – in contrast to our very private discussions with the aforementioned trio – with Konate understandably inspires concern.
“The thing that worries me from a Liverpool point of view is that they very rarely let players run into the last year of their deal – at least in recent history,” Paul Robinson told Football Insider.
“It’s very, very strange that they’ve got into this situation with these players.
“You wonder why you’re not hearing that talks are underway when we are hearing about the other players like they are with Konate.
“The other three, you wonder whether those conversations are even taking place.
“You’d expect that they have, but maybe they haven’t gone quite as well as Konate’s.”
Contract news: Good for Konate but Liverpool can’t be fully blamed
The complexity of the talks aside, it can’t be ignored that Liverpool’s backroom staff had been completely overhauled around the summer transfer window.
Yes, the club confirmed the appointment of sporting director Richard Hughes back in March. However, it’s well-documented that we were still hunting a top managerial appointment to replace outgoing boss Jurgen Klopp. You can forgive the 45-year-old Scot for being somewhat distracted by that particularly pressing issue!
Nonetheless, we’re here in this moment and facing the possibility of losing Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah – three stars pivotal to the prior regime’s success – in the space of one window in 2025.
Complexity aside, it’s a far from ideal situation. More concerningly, the longer this drags on without any kind of clear resolution, the higher the risk of it adversely impacting performance levels on the pitch, not to mention distracting teammates.
Once Liverpool get Konate to sign on the dotted line, they need definitive answers. Ultimately, they need them before January 1 when all three players can begin talks with overseas outfits.
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