Liverpool are now hoping £43m player will do exactly what Mohamed Salah did last season

Liverpool have spent approximately £200 million on new players recently, including Florian Wirtz, strengthening their squad further. However, this significant expenditure necessitates recouping funds to sustain future squad upgrades, leading to speculation about player departures.

The future of defender Ibrahima Konaté has become a major focus. With only one year remaining on his contract and having rejected two extension offers from Liverpool, rumours link him with a move to Real Madrid.

According to a report from Spanish outlet AS, Liverpool plan to adopt a 'brave' stance by attempting to convince Konaté to stay during the upcoming season. The club believes this strategy, which proved successful in retaining Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah during the 2024-25 campaign, could work again. However, AS notes this approach carries a 'massive risk', especially if Liverpool could generate transfer revenue from his sale this summer instead.

Should Liverpool decide to sell Konaté this summer, they would seek a fee of around €50 million (£43 million). This valuation is significantly lower than it would be if he had more time left on his contract.

Konaté's potential departure is complicated by Liverpool's defensive depth. Following Jarell Quansah's move to Bayer Leverkusen, manager Arne Slot has only three natural centre-backs available. While players like Marc Guehi are linked with a move to Anfield, the situation suggests Liverpool need to add to their defensive options rather than reduce them.